Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi is one of nine players from the Morocco side that made history at the 2022 World Cup to be called up for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who was only appointed in March, has drawn heavily on Morocco's diaspora in Europe, where most of his 26-man squad were born.
Ouahbi himself was born in Belgium, while Hakimi and Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz are among five players in the squad born in Spain and eligible to represent Morocco through family ties.
Three Morocco players – defender Issa Diop (Fulham), defender Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven) and 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille) – have had nationality switches approved by FIFA in the past nine months. Diaz has been playing for Morocco since 2024 after previously representing Spain.
Morocco will be based in New Jersey, where they open against Brazil on June 13 in East Rutherford. The Atlas Lions then face Scotland in Massachusetts and finish Group C against Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta. The top two teams in each group advance directly to the round of 16, and the third-placed team may also progress.
At the 2022 World Cup, under coach Walid Regragui, Morocco became the first African side to reach the semi-finals. They topped a group containing Croatia and Belgium, then stunned Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds before losing to an injury-hit France side.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who impressed in Qatar, returns for his third World Cup at age 35.
Morocco will travel to the United States as reigning African champion – at least for now. The title was awarded amid a legal case but could be lost within months at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as Senegal appeals to reclaim the on-field victory from January in Morocco.
After losing the final to Senegal four months ago, Regragui resigned and was replaced by Ouahbi, who led Morocco to the Under-20 World Cup title last year – beating Argentina in the final, a match that featured Strasbourg striker Gessime Yassine, whom Ouahbi recalled on Tuesday.
Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
