Hakimi and Saibari absent as Morocco step up AFCON 2027preparations

Morocco began preparations for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign without key players Achraf Hakimi and Ismail El Saibari.

The Atlas Lions held their first training session at the Mohammed VI Football Complex on Monday evening ahead of their opening two qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho.

All invited players took part in the session except Paris Saint-Germain defender Hakimi and El Saibari, who are expected to join the squad on Wednesday.

Ouahbi begins preparations for Gabon

The first training session under national coach Mohamed Ouahbi focused on getting the players back into competitive rhythm and beginning the technical staff’s preparations for the upcoming fixtures.

Morocco will open their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Gabon at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Friday, September 25, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 local time.

The Atlas Lions will then travel to South Africa to face Lesotho on Tuesday, September 29.

The two matches will represent Morocco’s first competitive assignments in the qualifying campaign.

Morocco to face Ghana in October friendly

After their opening qualifiers, Morocco will continue their international programme with a friendly against Ghana.

The Atlas Lions are scheduled to face the Black Stars on Sunday, October 4, at the Grand Stadium in Tangier.

The friendly will provide both sides with another opportunity to prepare their squads during the international window.