World Cup 2026: Morocco’s Ambassador to US welcomes Atlas Lions ahead of tournament

Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, welcomed the Atlas Lions upon arriving in the country for the upcoming 2026 World Cup tournament.

The North African football powerhouse delegation landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday, where Ambassador Amrani, alongside Morocco’s Consul General in New York, Mohamed Ait Bihi, was present to receive the players, technical staff and federation officials.

The welcome reflected the significance of Morocco’s participation in the expanded World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Atlas Lions were also greeted by enthusiastic members of the Moroccan community residing in the United States. Supporters gathered at the airport to welcome captain Achraf Hakimi and his teammates, expressing their pride and best wishes ahead of the tournament.

Fans waved Moroccan flags and took the opportunity to show their support for the national team as excitement continues to build before the start of the competition.

Following their arrival, the Moroccan squad headed to New Jersey, where they have established their training camp at the Pingle School. The facility will serve as the team’s base as coach Mohamed Wahbi and his technical staff intensify preparations for the World Cup.

The location was strategically selected to provide the team with ideal training conditions while ensuring proximity to key tournament infrastructure and venues.

Morocco enters the tournament with growing confidence and high expectations after several years of steady progress on the international stage. The Atlas Lions will be hoping to carry that momentum into the World Cup as they seek to make a strong impression against some of the world’s leading football nations.

Drawn in Group C, Morocco faces a challenging path to the knockout stages. The North Africans will compete against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in what promises to be one of the most competitive groups of the tournament.

Before beginning their World Cup campaign, the Atlas Lions will play a final warm-up match against Norway on Sunday. The friendly encounter will allow Wahbi’s side to fine-tune preparations and make any last adjustments before the tournament gets underway.

Morocco’s World Cup journey will officially begin on June 13 with a highly anticipated clash against Brazil. The Atlas Lions will then return to action on June 19 when they face Scotland in their second group-stage fixture.

With the team now settled in the United States and preparations entering their final stages, hopes remain high among Moroccan supporters that the Atlas Lions can deliver another memorable World Cup campaign and proudly represent the nation on football’s biggest stage.