Major Changes Expected in Moroccan National Football Team Lineup

Informed sources have revealed that significant changes are expected in the upcoming list for the Moroccan national football team, to be announced by national coach Walid Regragui, in preparation for the matches against the Central African Republic in the third and fourth rounds of the African qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Morocco, playing in Group B, will face the Central African Republic on October 12 and 15 at the Sports Complex in Oujda. The new list is expected to include changes and additions to strengthen the team’s ranks.

Among the most prominent potential changes:

1. The exclusion of goalkeeper Mehdi Benabid due to his dispute with the management of AS FAR, with the possibility of calling up goalkeepers from the local league such as Youssef Moutie (Wydad), Salaheddine Chihab (Maghreb Fez), and Ayoub El Khayati (AS FAR).
2. A possible absence of Ibrahim Diaz, Real Madrid’s striker, due to injury, with the potential return of Amine Harit, Olympique Marseille’s star.
3. An expected return for defender Jawad El Yamiq, player of Al Wahda Saudi Arabia, who hasn’t been called up since the 2022 World Cup.
4. Regragui’s interest in strengthening the left-back position, with the possibility of calling up Adam Aznou (Bayern Munich), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk), and Yahya Attiat-Allah (Al Ahly).
5. The continued presence of key players such as Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Nayef Aguerd, Younes Abdelhamid, Sofyan Amrabat, Amir Richardson, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Rahimi, and Ayoub El Kaabi.

The selected players will undergo a closed training camp at the Mohammed VI Football Center in Rabat starting from October 7, before moving to Saidia to complete preparations for the two matches.

These changes come as part of the technical staff’s efforts to develop the team’s performance and enhance its capabilities in preparation for upcoming competitions, especially with the approaching African Cup of Nations to be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco.