FIFA deadline puts Mohamed Ouahbi under pressure ahead of Morocco’s World Cup campaign

FIFA has set the deadline for submitting the final squads for teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, placing added pressure on Mohamed Ouahbi as he prepares to lead the Morocco national football team in the global tournament.

The upcoming World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to begin on June 11 and run until July 19. The 2026 edition will be historic as it will feature 48 teams for the first time in the competition’s history.

FIFA has announced that May 30 will serve as the final deadline for all participating nations to submit their official player lists for the tournament. Each national team will be allowed to register a squad of 26 players, the same number that was used during the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.

Morocco will enter the competition under the leadership of Ouahbi, who recently took charge of the Atlas Lions following the departure of Walid Regragui.

The North African side has been drawn in Group C alongside Brazil national football team, Haiti national football team and Scotland national football team.

Morocco will begin their campaign with a high-profile clash against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in New York, with kickoff scheduled for 23:00 Moroccan time.

The Atlas Lions will then face Scotland in their second group match on June 19 at Gillette Stadium in Boston.

Ouahbi’s side will conclude their Group C fixtures against Haiti on June 23 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the match also set to begin at 23:00 Moroccan time.