Morocco will appear at their sixth World Cup in 2026, arriving on the back of their finest tournament showing in 2022, when they became the only African nation ever to reach a World Cup semi-final. Qualification proved straightforward. Drawn into an African group with Niger, Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Eritrea—the latter withdrawing before play began—Morocco topped the table with 24 points and booked their place directly, finishing with a perfect record of eight wins, no draws and no defeats.
The Atlas Lions head to the 2026 tournament under a new manager but with a core of familiar faces. Walid Regragui resigned as head coach earlier this year and was replaced by Mohamed Ouahbi, who guided Morocco to the 2025 U-20 World Cup title with a final victory over Argentina. The squad is anchored by Yassine Bounou, Nayef Aguerd, Sofyan Amrabat and Achraf Hakimi.Among the newcomers is 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who recently switched his international allegiance from France to Morocco. Ouahbi welcomed the decision warmly. "We're very proud and delighted to have him with us," he said. "The most important thing is that he is very proud to represent Morocco. He's a good lad, very thoughtful, with lots of qualities. During the 25 minutes he played with us, we could see straight away that he picked things up very quickly. It's a pleasure to work with players like that." Defender Issa Diop, who committed to Morocco in March 2026, is another surprise inclusion. Notably absent are Jawad El Yamiq and Sofiane Boufal, both members of the 2022 squad.
Morocco have been drawn in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti. They open their campaign against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, then face Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Closing the group stage against Haiti on June 24 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. In preparation, the team will play two friendlies: first against Madagascar at home on June 2, then against Norway in New Jersey a week later.
Morocco 2026 World Squad:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Asfar)
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Zakaria El Ouahdi (KRC Genk), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Redouane Halhal (KV Mechelen), Issa Diop (Fulham)
Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (AS Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV)
Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Alain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Yassine Gessime (Strasbourg), Ayoube Amaimouni (Eintracht Frankfurt)
