World Cup hospitality returned as Algeria rolls out the welcome mat for a delegation from the US

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The love affair that bloomed between the city of Lawrence and the country of Algeria while the college town in Kansas was hosting the Desert Foxes during the World Cup has continued with a delegation from the U.S. visiting the African nation this week.

The government of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune welcomed the group for a weeklong stay on Monday.

“It is an absolute honor for all of us to be here,” Meghan Bardwell, a detective for the city of Lawrence and a member of the delegation, told the French-Algerian news outlet LeLien upon arrival in the northwest African nation. “It was such a pleasure to take care of the team and your fans, and so to be invited over here is something beyond any of our dreams.

"The way we've been treated since the time we took off from Kansas City until now has been nothing but amazing. I love it.”

The Kansas City metro area hosted several base camps during the World Cup, including Argentina, the Netherlands and England, while also hosting matches at Arrowhead Stadium. But the close connection that developed between Algeria and Lawrence, which lies about 30 minutes west of the city, captured the attention of a global audience during the tournament.

More than 500 people showed up at the airport when the Desert Foxes arrived at their summer base in early June. Local artist Sam Herd welcomed them by creating a giant Algerian flag out of mulch and sand, and members of the University of Kansas marching band took the time to learn Algeria's anthem, “Kassaman,” giving the team a sense of home upon its arrival some 5,000 miles away.

Indeed, the smallest host city of a World Cup team and its university rolled out the welcome mat for Algeria.

The national team shot hoops in Allen Fieldhouse, the historic home of the Jayhawks' men's and women's basketball teams, and tossed footballs — the American kind — inside Memorial Stadium. They even spent time kicking soccer balls with local youths.

“They quickly became our home team,” said Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for city’s convention and visitors bureau.

Algeria lost its opening match to Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium, bounced back to beat Jordan , then drew with Austria in a thriller to earn a spot in the knockout rounds. The Desert Foxes were eliminated with a 2-0 loss to Switzerland in the round of 32.

Now, the Algerians are showing their American counterparts some hospitality of their own.

Among those in the delegation are Lawrence Mayor Brad Finkeldei and other city officials; members of the University of Kansas band, faculty and staff; and officials from Elkader, Iowa, which is named for the Algerian leader, the late Emir Abdelkader.

The group spent part of Monday getting a view of Algeria from the Mediterranean Sea, which separates Africa from Europe and the nearby nation of Spain, and delegation members continued to post images on social media Tuesday.

"This extraordinary invitation reflects the warmth and generosity that our entire community has shown to Algeria this summer,” Finkeldei told Le Jeune Independant, a prominent French-language Algerian newspaper. “We are deeply grateful to our Algerian hosts for their hospitality and friendship. Even though not everyone who contributed to this welcome can make the trip, we carry with us Lawrence’s gratitude and kindness.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here