Hakimi Among Nine Returning Stars as Morocco Names 26-Man World Cup Squad for 2026

Morocco’s 2026 World Cup roster, led by Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, features a blend of established talent and players newly eligible through FIFA rulings.

27 May 2026

Achraf Hakimi headlines a group of nine returning players from Morocco’s historic 2022 World Cup campaign, as coach Mohamed Ouahbi unveiled a 26-man squad dominated by talent from the European diaspora.

The squad, selected ahead of Morocco’s Group C opener against Brazil on June 13 in East Rutherford, reflects Ouahbi’s strategy of leveraging dual-national players. Five members, including Hakimi and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz—who switched allegiance from Spain—were born in Europe but qualify via family heritage. Three others—Fulham’s Issa Diop, PSV’s Anass Salah-Eddine, and 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi—received FIFA approval for eligibility changes in the past year.

Morocco, based in New Jersey during the tournament, will face Scotland in Massachusetts and Haiti in Atlanta, with top-two finishers advancing directly to the knockout stage. The Atlas Lions carry momentum from 2022, when they became the first African semifinalists under Walid Regragui, defeating Spain and Portugal before falling to France.

Veteran goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, 35, returns for a third World Cup after standout performances in Qatar. Ouahbi, a Belgian-born tactician who replaced Regragui in March, previously won the Under-20 World Cup with Morocco in 2025, including a final victory over Argentina that featured Strasbourg forward Gessime Yassine, now included in the senior squad.

The team enters the 2026 edition as Africa Cup of Nations champions, though Senegal’s pending appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport could overturn Morocco’s January 2025 title win. Morocco will cohost the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, with matches also scheduled in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to honor the tournament’s centenary.

Morocco World Cup Roster

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal), Munir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (AS FAR)

Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven), Youssef Bellammari (Al Ahly), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Redoulen Halham (Messelle)

Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Gessime Yassine (Strasbourg), Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyabe (Eintracht Frankfurt)

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