Morocco name 21-player U17 World Cup squad with OM forward Ziyad Baha recalled

Morocco have announced their 21-man squad for the 2026 U17 World Cup, with Ziyad Baha included after returning to the age-group side for the tournament in Qatar.

Head coach Ahmed Kantari confirmed his final selection on Tuesday, 3 November. The competition will take place from 19 November to 13 December.

Baha, who plays for OM, has been involved with Morocco’s U20 side in recent months and had not featured for the U17 team since last year’s run to the quarter-finals of the tournament, when he scored four goals.

He will be one of the survivors from that campaign, alongside fellow forward Ismail El Aoud.

The squad also includes Ibrahim Rabbaj, known as the “Messi of Chelsea”. Rabbaj was one of the key players in the Morocco side that were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the CAN U17 on home soil at the start of the year.

Goalkeeper Adam Mouak of PSG is another notable selection. Defenders Mohamed Habib Zinbi and Adam Soudi, who impressed at the CAN U17, have also been named.

Kantari has further attacking and midfield options in Ilian Hadidi of Feyenoord and Imran Talai of Ajax. Talai scored twice at the CAN U17.

The number of talented players available made the final decisions particularly difficult for Kantari. In a video released by the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), he described some of the choices as “heartbreaking”.

Mouad Gounfissi and Adam Alioui are not part of the squad because of injuries.

Morocco’s group-stage opponents

Morocco, known as the Atlas Cubs, have been drawn in Group H alongside Spain, Fiji and China.

The group offers Kantari’s team a variety of challenges, including a meeting with Spain which is expected to be one of the most significant matches of the opening phase.

Morocco will travel to Qatar aiming to match at least their achievement from the 2025 edition, when they reached the quarter-finals.

The squad announcement completes the preparations for a side that contains several players with experience of the previous U17 World Cup campaign and the CAN U17, as well as individuals who have recently featured at U20 level.