Can't see a Sharepoint root folder for a channel

Your channel had to be renamed then. Would explain the linked somewhere else. When you rename a channel the original name stays with the folder name. Click files > open in SharePoint and you will see what folder it’s connected to the channel. That is the original name of the channel and probably causing the confusion. There is currently no way other than deleting the channel and creating a new one to fix this.

You most likely created a private channel. This doesn’t not put a folder in the same team / site library like normal channels and instead creates a hidden site and library separate from the connect site for the Team. The only way to find this is through Teams and the channels files tab.

If you want a folder on the team site then create the channel as a standard channel.

This is just an assumption but you can tell by checking the channel in your team and if a lock is by it then it’s private.