Morocco coach Ouahbi names 26-man World Cup squad with heavy reliance on European diaspora
Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has selected a squad for the 2026 tournament that draws significantly on players born in Europe, including five with Spanish ties and three with recently approved national eligibility.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has announced a 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, retaining nine players from the team that reached the semi-finals at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The selection, unveiled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, reflects a strategic reliance on the country’s European diaspora, with the majority of the selected players born abroad.
Ouahbi, who was appointed in March after succeeding Walid Regragui, has integrated players from his previous tenure with the Under-20 national team, which won the title last year. Strasbourg forward Gessime Yassine is among those recalled from the youth setup. The senior squad features Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who returns for his third World Cup appearance at age 35.
The composition of the squad highlights significant ties to Spain, with five players born there, including Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz. Diaz, who previously represented Spain, has been eligible for Morocco since 2024. Additionally, three players—Fulham defender Issa Diop, PSV Eindhoven defender Anass Salah-Eddine, and 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi—had their change of national eligibility approved by FIFA within the past nine months.
Morocco is scheduled to open its campaign against Brazil on 13 June in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the team will be based. The Atlas Lions will then face Scotland in Massachusetts and conclude their Group C fixtures against Haiti on 24 June in Atlanta. The tournament format allows the top two teams in each group to advance directly to the round of 16, with the best third-place teams also progressing.
The announcement comes as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, alongside commemorative matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. On the international stage, the national team currently holds the African Cup of Nations title, although Senegal has appealed the result at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
