Morocco heads into the FIFA World Cup 2026 with completely different expectations and pressure compared to Qatar 2022. What was once considered a historic surprise has now become a competitive standard. The “Atlas Lions” are no longer viewed as underdogs, but as a national team capable of competing on equal terms with the biggest powers in world football.

The Moroccan side arrives at the tournament after a major coaching change just months before the World Cup. Walid Regragui, the manager who guided the team to the semifinals in Qatar, stepped down following defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations final. His replacement is Mohamed Ouahbi, the coach who led Morocco’s Under-20 team to a world title and who now faces the challenge of keeping the senior squad among football’s elite.

The new manager aims to implement a more aggressive and attacking style, focused on high pressing and a more possession-based approach, while maintaining the defensive solidity that made Morocco one of the toughest teams to face in 2022.

The team’s biggest star remains Achraf Hakimi, the captain and undisputed leader both on and off the pitch. The PSG full-back will play in his third World Cup as one of the best African footballers in the world. Alongside him are key names such as Brahim Díaz, expected to lead the creative side of the attack, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou “Bono,” Sofyan Amrabat, and Noussair Mazraoui.

Morocco also continues to benefit from the enormous pool of European-born players with Moroccan roots. Young talents like Ismael Saibari and Bilal El Khannouss represent the new generation aiming to continue the success of the national project.

In Group C, Morocco faces a difficult challenge from the very beginning. They will open against Brazil at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, then face Scotland in Boston before closing the group stage against Haiti in Atlanta.

Morocco’s playing style will continue to rely on physical intensity, quick transitions, and tactical discipline, although now with a more attacking mentality. The defense remains the team’s greatest strength, but their offensive evolution will be crucial in determining whether Morocco can surpass the historic fourth-place finish achieved in Qatar 2022.

With a squad full of international talent, World Cup experience, and an ambitious new generation emerging, Morocco dreams of proving that what happened four years ago was not a coincidence, but the definitive rise of a new African and global football power.

The Squad

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