Walid Regragui set to formally terminate contract as Moroccan FA finalizes exit formalities

Highly-rated tactician Walid Regragui has reportedly returned to Morocco to formally terminate his contract as head coach of the Atlas Lions, with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation finalising the necessary administrative procedures for his exit.

The 50-year-old’s future has been under intense scrutiny following Morocco’s failure to clinch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title on home soil — a tournament many had tipped the hosts to win. The painful defeat to Senegal national football team in the final only deepened questions about whether a new direction was needed.

Per reports, both parties are now preparing to officially sever ties. In anticipation of a transition, the Moroccan FA is said to have turned to Morocco U20 head coach Mohamed Wahbi to lead the senior national team into its next phase.

The Moroccan FA is reportedly in discussions with Portuguese coach Joao Sacramento about joining the new technical setup under Wahbi. Negotiations are believed to be underway as Morocco begin shaping a revamped backroom staff ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Sacramento brings extensive European experience, having previously worked as an assistant at Lille OSC, Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Duhail SC. During that time, he worked closely with elite managers such as Jose Mourinho and Christophe Galtier. He later took charge of Austrian side LASK before departing in 2025.

Regragui’s tenure, which began in August 2022, will be remembered for both historic achievement and near-misses. He famously guided Morocco to a remarkable fourth-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup — the best-ever performance by an African nation at the tournament.

However, the 2025 AFCON final proved a crushing blow. Senegal edged Morocco 1-0 after 120 dramatic minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. In a defining moment, Brahim Diaz saw his last-minute penalty saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, sealing the hosts’ heartbreak.

With formalities nearing completion, Moroccan football now stands on the brink of a new era — one shaped by lessons from recent disappointment and ambition for global success in 2026.