Morocco face African opposition in likely friendly setback after World Cup success

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi is likely to be disappointed with the calibre of opposition available for the Atlas Lions’ next friendly matches.

Following an impressive 2026 World Cup campaign, which ended with Morocco in the top eight for the second successive edition, the national team will return to international action next Monday.

Morocco will first play two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. They face Gabon in Rabat on 25 September before travelling to Bloemfontein, South Africa, to meet Lesotho on 29 September.

Those fixtures could be followed by one or two friendlies. Such matches would give Ouahbi the opportunity to experiment, assess new players and improve the team’s understanding on the pitch.

However, the coach had made clear that he wanted Morocco to continue facing leading international teams in order to maintain the highest possible standards. His comments appeared to refer to prominent sides from Europe, the Americas and Asia.

“I asked for a prestigious match in September so that we can continue to be challenged. We need to play more friendly matches that test us,” Ouahbi said in mid-July during his press conference reviewing the World Cup.

That ambition is unlikely to be fulfilled. The current expectation is that Morocco will face two African nations, unless an agreement can be reached with a country from another confederation, according to insider Youssef.

European teams are occupied by Nations League commitments, while the schedules of the other sides ranked in Africa’s top 10 are almost completely filled.

The development would mean Morocco are unable to secure the type of high-profile test Ouahbi requested after the World Cup. The available options instead appear set to come largely from within the continent.

Morocco’s most recent friendly was against Norway on 7 June, shortly before the World Cup. Brahim Diaz gave the Atlas Lions the lead in the eighth minute, but Norway captain Martin Ødegaard equalised in the 75th minute.

The match against Norway remains the latest example of Morocco meeting a side from outside Africa in a non-competitive fixture. The team had hoped to continue that approach as it prepared for the next stage of its international programme.

The immediate priority, however, will be the two qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho. Only after those matches will the potential friendly opponents and the final schedule become clearer.