Younes Taha in line for Morocco call-up after strong FC Twente start

FC Twente winger Younes Taha has reportedly been included in Mohamed Ouahbi’s provisional Morocco squad ahead of the country’s Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers.

Ouahbi is due to announce his selection on Thursday, with Morocco expected to field a significantly changed group from the one taken to the 2026 World Cup.

A combination of injuries, suspensions and poor form is likely to rule out several members of the World Cup squad. That could create opportunities for emerging players, including a number of young talents who have impressed at the start of the season.

Taha, 23, has attracted attention with a series of understated but effective performances for FC Twente. He has made nine appearances for the Dutch club, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

The left-footed player generally operates as a right winger but can also move into a more central midfield role. He has started each of FC Twente’s past five matches in all competitions.

According to De Telegraaf, those displays have earned Taha a place on Morocco’s preliminary list for their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying fixtures against Gabon and Lesotho.

Morocco will face Gabon in Rabat on 25 September before playing Lesotho in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on 29 September. The Atlas Lions could also play one or two friendly matches in early October.

A place in Ouahbi’s final squad would represent Taha’s first senior Morocco call-up. The Amsterdam-born player has previously featured for the Under-23 side.

He has won 11 caps for Morocco’s Under-23 team and scored three goals. Taha was part of the side that won the Africa Cup of Nations at that level in 2023, scoring once and supplying an assist during the tournament.

He is one of several young Moroccan players being considered as Ouahbi reshapes his squad. Yassir Zabiri, 21, of Racing Santander, Othmane Maamma, 20, of Watford, and 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane of Ajax have also emerged as potential new additions.

Taha’s inclusion in the final list has yet to be confirmed.