World Cup 2026: Morocco eye another historic run at global showpiece

Morocco will head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup carrying the hopes of an entire continent as they seek to build on their historic achievement in Qatar four years ago. After becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final in 2022, the Atlas Lions are targeting another deep run in North America.

The North Africans arrive at the tournament with a talented squad featuring several players in their prime years. Led by captain Achraf Hakimi, Morocco are widely regarded as one of the strongest teams outside the traditional football powerhouses and will be aiming to prove that their success in Qatar was no fluke.

However, preparations for the World Cup have not been entirely smooth. Morocco endured a turbulent start to 2026 following the controversial conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Atlas Lions suffered heartbreak in the final against Senegal before the result was later overturned, with Morocco eventually awarded the title after Senegal were disqualified for abandoning the match during a protest.

The dramatic events left questions about team morale and unity, but head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has worked to shift the focus back to football. The Belgian-born tactician earned widespread praise after guiding Morocco to the FIFA U-20 World Cup title in 2025 and now faces the biggest challenge of his coaching career.

Morocco’s qualification campaign offered plenty of encouragement. The Atlas Lions dominated Group E in the African qualifiers, winning all eight matches while scoring 22 goals and conceding only twice. Their impressive form reinforced their status as one of Africa’s leading football nations.

While Morocco have appeared at six previous World Cups, their fourth-place finish in Qatar remains the country’s greatest achievement on the global stage. The challenge now is to prove they can consistently compete among the world’s elite teams.

Much of Morocco’s success will depend on Achraf Hakimi. The dynamic full-back is not only the team’s captain but also its most influential player. Renowned for his pace, stamina and attacking threat, Hakimi provides quality at both ends of the pitch and remains one of the finest defenders in world football.

Morocco have been drawn in a challenging group alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti. Their campaign opens against Brazil on June 14 before further encounters with Scotland and Haiti. The clash with the five-time world champions could prove decisive in determining who finishes top of the group.

Although expectations are higher than ever, Morocco have shown in recent years that they are capable of competing with the world’s best. If Ouahbi can successfully harness the team’s talent and maintain the spirit that carried them to the 2022 semi-finals, the Atlas Lions could once again emerge as one of the tournament’s biggest stories.

A place in the semi-finals remains an ambitious target, but Morocco have already demonstrated that they possess the quality, belief and experience needed to challenge football’s traditional giants on the biggest stage.

Morocco 2026 World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Anass Salah-Eddine, Youssef Belammari, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Redouane Halhal, Nayef Aguerd

Midfielders: Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Azzedine Ounahi, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Ismael Saibari, Sofyan Amrabat, Samir El Mourabet

Attackers: Brahim Díaz, Ez Abde, Ayoube Amaimouni, Soufiane Rahimi, Chemsdine Talbi, Gessime Yassine, Ayoub El Kaabi