Thursday Jun 04, 2026. 12:00
Morocco will be appearing in their seventh FIFA World Cup, and for a third successive time. The Atlas Lions, who will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C, were the revelation of Qatar 2022, becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals.
Coached by Mohamed Ouahbi, Morocco secured their ticket for this tournament under the leadership of his predecessor, Walid Regragui, by racking up a perfect record of eight wins from as many matches in Group E of Africa’s qualifiers, ahead of Niger, Tanzania, Zambia and Congo.
Captained by Achraf Hakimi, who is regarded as perhaps the best right-back in the world, the Atlas Lions also boast goalkeeper Yassine ‘Bono’, versatile defender Noussair Mazraoui, rising star Ismael Saibari, the mercurial Brahim Diaz, tricky winger Abde Ezzalzouli, and prolific goal scorer Ayoub El Kaabi.
Nickname: The Atlas Lions
Previous World Cup appearances: 6 (1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2018, 2022)
Best World Cup performance: Semifinals (2022)
World Cup record: P23 W5 D7 L11 GF20 GA27
2026 Qualification record: P8 W8 D0 L0 GF22 GA2
2026 World Cup fixtures (Group C, times CAT)
– Brazil v Morocco, Sunday 14 June, 00:00
– Scotland v Morocco, Saturday 20 June, 00:00
– Morocco v Haiti, Thursday 25 June, 00:00
Head coach: Mohamed Ouahbi
The Belgian-born tactician has the unenviable task of trying to follow in the footsteps of Walid Regragui, having succeeded the former head coach in the wake of the controversial Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. Ouahbi will have his hands full trying to emulate the success enjoyed by Morocco at the last World Cup.
Captain: Achraf Hakimi
The archetype of the modern fullback, Hakimi’s pace, technique and dead-ball striking are all elite, while he has also developed into a composed and inspiring leader – both for Morocco, and at club level for Paris Saint-Germain. The Atlas Lions will need their 27-year-old skipper to be at his best in North America.
Key player: Brahim Diaz
His penalty ‘hiccup’ aside, Brahim Diaz was far and away the most influential player at the Africa Cup of Nations and will hope to repeat that kind of form at the World Cup. Blessed with the ability to both create and finish off scoring chances, Diaz’s cutting edge in attack could be vital to Morocco’s of impressing on the global stage again.