Morocco MAR

Morocco arrive at the 2026 World Cup carrying the weight of history and the hunger to add another chapter to it. Ranked seventh in the world by FIFA and competing under the CAF banner, the Atlas Lions made history in Qatar as Africa's first-ever semi-finalists, and under new manager Mohamed Ouahbi, they are determined to prove that breakthrough was no fluke.

Ouahbi's primary task will be to build a system that gets the best from Achraf Hakimi, and by all accounts his setup is designed to do exactly that — creating the space and freedom the Paris Saint-Germain full-back needs to terrorise opposition defences. That 2022 semi-final run has also left a lasting imprint on the squad's psyche, giving the group a collective belief that no Moroccan generation has previously carried into a major tournament.

The concerns, however, are real. As hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco struggled badly when the pressure intensified, with their campaign culminating in what was widely described as a farcical final. That fragility under the spotlight will be scrutinised closely again this summer, and Ouahbi will need answers.

The squad itself is rich with quality. Yassine Bounou brings experience and reliability in goal, Sofyan Amrabat provides the engine in midfield, and the creative talents of Azzedine Ounahi and Brahim Díaz offer genuine threat in the final third. Younger names — Ayyoub Bouaddi, Neil El Aynaoui, and Ayoube Amaimouni among them — add intrigue, alongside Issa Diop, Samir El Mourabet, Gessime Yassine, and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti completing a squad with real depth across the pitch.