Morocco's new coach Mohamed Ouahbi selected a 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup on May 26 that features defender Nayef Aguerd despite his injury absence since March 2026 [1, 2]. Aguerd has not played since early March but remains part of the team as Morocco prepares to defend its strong showing from 2022.
Forward Youssef En-Nesyri, who played a key role in Morocco's run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals and the recent Africa Cup of Nations, was omitted from the squad [1, 2]. En-Nesyri's exclusion marks a significant change from the previous tournament lineup.
Ouahbi took over as Morocco’s head coach in March 2026, replacing Walid Regragui who had led the team to the 2022 semi-finals [1, 2]. Despite the coaching change, some experienced players remain, including captain Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, and Sofyan Amrabat, providing continuity in the squad [1, 2].
Among the new faces is Ayyoub Bouaddi, a former France junior international who switched allegiance to Morocco and earned his first call-up [1, 2]. Goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti also returns to the national team for the first time since 2022 after playing a key role in leading the Royal Armed Forces to the African Champions League final [1, 2].
Morocco will open its 2026 World Cup campaign in Group C with a match against Brazil in New Jersey on June 13 [1, 2]. They will then face Scotland in Boston on June 19 before concluding the group stage against Haiti in Miami on June 24 [1, 2].