AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Morocco’s squad has been announced! (Official)

Mohamed Ouahbi has called up 29 players to launch the AFCON 2027 qualifiers, with several returning players and highly anticipated young talents.

As the September international break approaches, the squads of African national teams are being announced one after another. This Thursday, September 17, Mohamed Ouahbi unveiled a 29-player squad selected for Morocco for a particularly busy camp.

The Atlas Lions will open their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign by hosting Gabon on Friday, September 25, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Four days later, Morocco will travel to Bloemfontein, South Africa, to face Lesotho. A friendly against Ghana is also on the camp’s schedule.

Morocco’s full squad for the September international break

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Alaa Bellaarouch.

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Anass Salah-Eddine, Redouane Halhal, Issa Diop, Marwane Saâdane, Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Ali Maamar.

Midfielders: Azzedine Ounahi, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Samir El Mourabet, Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Oussama Targhalline, Ismaël Saibari, Soufiane El-Faouzi.

Forwards: Brahim Diaz, Soufiane Rahimi, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Yassine Gessime, Yassir Zabiri, Abdellah Ouazane, Tawfik Bentayeb.

Ouahbi combines experienced players with the next generation

This squad confirms Mohamed Ouahbi’s desire to retain an experienced core while opening the door wider to the next generation. Bounou, Hakimi, Mazraoui, Aguerd, Ounahi and Brahim Diaz remain in the squad, while Ayyoub Bouaddi, Abdellah Ouazane and Yassir Zabiri represent the renewal sought by the coach.

Zabiri is one of the most eagerly anticipated players in particular after his excellent start to the season in Spain. It had already been reported that Yassir Zabiri was set to return to the Atlas Lions during this international window. The young forward will now have the opportunity to confirm his progress alongside several of the national team’s senior players.

Aguerd and Ezzalzouli return after the World Cup

Two returns are also attracting attention: Nayef Aguerd and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli. Both players had been forced to withdraw from the 2026 World Cup through injury. Their presence in this squad therefore marks an important step in their return to prominence with the national team.

The camp will primarily serve to launch qualification for the next AFCON. Morocco are in Group A with Lesotho, Gabon and Niger. After reaching the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, Ouahbi’s squad will look to immediately build positive momentum and earn points in the opening two matchdays.

Read also: Algeria: which channel will broadcast Brahim Hemdani’s first press conference?

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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