Botola Pro 1: Wydad set to announce Hussein Ammouta as new coach with record-breaking contract

Wydad Athletic Club are preparing to welcome back Hussein Ammouta as the club’s new head coach, succeeding Mohamed Amine Benhachem.

The announcement is expected to follow the team’s upcoming African Confederation Cup quarter-final first-leg clash against Olympique Safi.

Sources indicate that negotiations between Wydad’s management and Ammouta have reached their final stages, with the agreed contract set to be the most lucrative ever offered to a coach in Morocco’s professional league. The official confirmation is expected next week.

The club’s decision comes in response to growing pressure from fans, who questioned Benhachem’s ability to restore Wydad to its former dominance. The Red team has struggled to reach the top of both domestic and continental competitions over the past three seasons.

Ammouta’s return will mark his third stint with the club. He first led Wydad to one of the most remarkable periods in the club’s history in 2017, securing a historic double by winning both the national Professional League and the African Champions League.

He returned briefly in 2022 but departed following disagreements with the former club president, Said Naciri.

The Moroccan coach will take charge at a critical juncture of the season, with Wydad currently second in the league standings on 29 points, just one behind rivals Raja Casablanca, while holding three postponed matches.

Ammouta’s leadership is expected to play a decisive role as the Red team pushes to reclaim its status at the top of Moroccan football.