Mohamed Ouahbi has unveiled his latest Morocco squad as the Atlas Lions begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with a blend of established internationals and emerging talents selected for three upcoming fixtures.
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has announced his 29-man squad for the upcoming international window, with the Atlas Lions preparing to face Gabon and Lesotho in 2027 AFCON qualifying before meeting Ghana in a friendly.Morocco host Gabon on September 25 at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, before travelling to Bloemfontein, South Africa, to face Lesotho on September 29. Ouahbi’s side will then return home to meet Ghana in Tangier on October 4.
Morocco's full 29-man squad
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Alaa Bellaarouch.
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui, Anass Salah-Eddine, Marwane Saadane, Nayef Aguerd, Redouane Halhal, Issa Diop, Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, Achraf Hakimi, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Ali Maamar.
Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Neil El Aynaoui, Oussama Targhalline, Bilal El Khannouss, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari.
Forwards: Brahim Diaz, Yassine Gessime, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Abdellah Ouazzane, Soufiane Rahimi, Tawfik Bentayeb and Yassir Zabiri.
The selection brings several fresh faces into the senior setup. Reports identify Alaa Bellaarouch, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Tawfik Bentayeb, Yassir Zabiri and Abdellah Ouazzane among the first-time senior call-ups.
Why Ghana instead of Argentina?
Ouahbi also used his press conference to explain Morocco’s choice of Ghana for the friendly.
The coach confirmed that Argentina had been considered as an opponent, but negotiations became complicated because the world champions wanted the fixture to take place in Argentina. With Morocco already travelling to South Africa for the Lesotho match, Ouahbi considered another long trip impractical. Ghana was ultimately selected as a strong African opponent with recent World Cup experience.
Ouahbi addresses Amrabat situation
Ouahbi also clarified his position regarding Sofyan Amrabat, insisting there is no personal conflict between the pair.
The coach acknowledged Amrabat’s contribution to Moroccan football but explained that selection and playing time are based on the team's current sporting needs. He stressed that past achievements command respect but do not guarantee any player a place in the squad.
That principle appears central to Ouahbi’s approach as he begins shaping the next generation of the Atlas Lions, with younger players receiving increasingly important opportunities.
With two competitive matches followed by the Ghana friendly, the upcoming window will provide an early look at the direction Ouahbi wants to take Morocco as preparations for AFCON 2027 begin in earnest.
Source / Credit: Equipe du maroc
