KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
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For weeks, the connection between Algeria fans and the Lawrence community has been growing. Ahead of Algeria's second match in Kansas City, the two groups came together once again.
Sami Sakaa, who lives in Montreal and traveled to Lawrence to experience the city firsthand, said the welcome has meant everything.
"We are so thankful for the nice people of Kansas," Sakaa said. "It's all about the people."
Hadjer Bensaha, who moved to the U.S. from Algeria 10 years ago and now lives in Utah, said word of Lawrence's hospitality has spread far beyond the city limits.
"People are speaking about it. You can't believe how many Algerians on Facebook and Instagram are sharing how welcoming this city has been to us," Bensaha said.
Support from Lawrence came in many forms on Friday — from honking horns to front yards decorated with balloons.
Sarah Yoho, owner of Balloonarts in Lawrence, said the moment captures something bigger.
"It's a beautiful reminder that we're all human, and we're all in this together. Whatever we can find to bring people together is just so special," Yoho said.
The welcome also came through language. Donna and Kevin McCarthy, who live in Lawrence, took Arabic classes to make sure Algerian visitors felt at home.
Kevin McCarthy said the decision was simple.
"Well, they picked us, right? So, we decided to welcome them," he said.
Donna McCarthy added that the community has reason to be proud.
"Yeah, and I think we're proud. Proud of that welcoming community," she said.
She also explained why learning even a few words in another language matters.
"When people speak a little bit in their own language is very welcoming, comforting, and yeah, so we wanted to do that," Donna McCarthy said.
Dhaya Bareche, who is from Algeria, said the cultural blending in Lawrence has been a genuine surprise.
"It's surprising how well the culture is blended together, and, like, I don't think anyone could have guessed it," Dhaya Bareche said.
For Sakaa, the impact of this World Cup will last long after the final whistle.
"This is going to create a strong connection with the whole world," Sakaa said. "We are so grateful to be here."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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