National coach Mohamed Ouahbi unveiled Morocco’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup at an official press conference on Tuesday, selecting a group that combines the proven core of the 2022 Qatar generation with a significant influx of new talent drawn from Europe’s top leagues. The squad’s architecture reflects a deliberate balance between the solidity of established names and the technical freshness of a generation that has emerged or matured in the years since the historic Qatar semi-final.
In goal, Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal retains the number one position, backed by Munir El Kajoui and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti. The defensive line is anchored by Achraf Hakimi of PSG and Nayef Aguerd of Olympique de Marseille, the latter included despite carrying an injury — a selection that signals Ouahbi’s confidence in the defender’s recovery timeline. They are joined by Noussair Mazraoui of Manchester United, Anass Salah-Eddine of PSV, and Chadi Riad of Crystal Palace, among others. The depth of the defensive options reflects Morocco’s commitment to maintaining the defensive solidity that was the foundation of the Qatar run.
The midfield features Sofyan Amrabat of Real Bétis and Azzedine Ounahi of Girona as the experienced backbone, but the most striking selection is 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi of LOSC Lille, whose inclusion signals that Ouahbi is prepared to trust exceptional young talent with the pressure of a home-continent World Cup. Neil El Aynaoui of AS Roma, Bilal El Khannouss of Stuttgart, and Ismael Saibari of PSV complete a midfield pool of considerable technical quality.
In attack, Brahim Diaz of Real Madrid is expected to be the creative engine — the player Ouahbi’s tactical system is designed to liberate. He is supported by Ayoub El Kaabi of Olympiakos, Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain, Abdesamad Ezzalzouli of Real Bétis, and Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab of Eintracht Frankfurt in a forward line offering diverse profiles of pace, movement, and finishing. Three reserves — El Mehdi El Harrar, Amine Sbaï, and Marwan Saadane — were also named.
The squad will face its group-stage opponents at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The weight of expectation on this team is considerable as the memory of Qatar 2022 has raised the nation’s footballing ambition to a level it has never previously occupied. Ouahbi’s task is to translate that ambition into performance on the field — and the squad he has named suggests he intends to play attacking, technically ambitious football in pursuit of that goal.
