Walid Regragui, head coach of Morocco during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON Morocco press conference at Main Media Centre in Rabat, Morocco on 17 January 2026 ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Saturday Feb 07, 2026. 11:00
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has categorically denied rumours concerning the departure of men’s national team head coach Walid Regragui.
Rumours circulated on Friday that the 50-year-old tactician had tendered his resignation just four months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The allegations came following Morocco’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final loss to Senegal, as the much favoured Atlas Lions failed to claim the continental title on home soil.
However, the FRMF released a statement on social media on Friday afternoon setting the record straight.
“The Royal Moroccan Football Federation categorically denies the information relayed by certain media outlets concerning the alleged resignation of the national coach, Mr. Walid Regragui, from his position,” the statement reads.
Regragui will be in charge of the Atlas Lions for the upcoming global showpiece in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and will see out his contract which ends on 31 July.
The former Wydad AC coach has taken Morocco to new heights, guiding the Atlas Lions to a semi-final appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the best performance of any African team in the history of the competition. They cruised through qualification for this year’s edition, winning all eight of their games and topping group E, and reached the final of the 2025 AFCON.
Whether Regragui is offered a new contract by the FRMF will largely be determined by their performance at the upcoming World Cup.
Morocco has been drawn in group C and will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
By Nic Gleeson