Three years after becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, Morocco's build-up to the 2026 tournament has been defined not by football but by a CAF ruling that handed them the Africa Cup of Nations title two months after they lost the final. Senegal's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is still pending. The trophy situation is genuinely unresolved.
That's the backdrop for a squad trying to prove they belong among the serious contenders this summer.
A chaotic AFCON, a new coach, and a penalty miss that won't go away
Morocco lost the Africa Cup final to Senegal 1-0 in extra time on January 18 in Rabat. Senegal walked off in protest after a late penalty call, returned after 16 minutes, and still won the game. CAF then stripped them of the title on a technicality and awarded Morocco a 3-0 default victory. However you feel about the ruling, it's not exactly the kind of triumph that builds momentum going into a World Cup.
Brahim Díaz had been the story of that AFCON — five goals, relentless energy, carrying Morocco's attack almost single-handedly. Then he stepped up for the controversial penalty in the final and rolled a soft Panenka straight into Édouard Mendy's hands. Morocco fans jeered him when he collected his runner-up medal. He hasn't started either of the team's warm-up games under the new coach since.
That's a problem. When your most creative forward is frozen out of confidence and form ahead of a Group C opener against five-time world champions Brazil, the attacking picture looks genuinely shaky. Morocco's odds to progress from a group containing Brazil will hinge heavily on getting that forward line right — and fast.
Hakimi racing the clock, Ouahbi finding his feet
Walid Regragui, who guided the Qatar miracle, quit after the AFCON. Mohamed Ouahbi — the coach who won the 2025 Under-20 World Cup — has inherited the job and managed a draw against Ecuador and a win over Paraguay in March friendlies. Solid, but hardly definitive evidence.
Achraf Hakimi is the bigger immediate concern. The right back is sidelined with a thigh injury and faces a race to be fit in time. He missed the early stages of the AFCON with an ankle problem but recovered for the knockouts. Whether lightning strikes twice is far from guaranteed.
Morocco's Group C schedule: Brazil on June 13 at New York New Jersey Stadium, Scotland on June 19 in Boston, Haiti on June 24 in Atlanta. Winnable in parts — but Brazil on the opener, without a settled attack and potentially without their best defender, is a punishing start.
- June 13 vs Brazil — New York New Jersey Stadium
- June 19 vs Scotland — Boston Stadium
- June 24 vs Haiti — Atlanta Stadium
The Atlas Lions aren't a side in chaos — they're too well-organized for that. But they're not in the form or the clarity of purpose that made Qatar so electric either. For a country that has invested seriously in becoming a global football power and is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, a second consecutive deep run isn't just desirable. It's expected. The gap between expectation and current reality is where this team's 2026 story gets interesting.
Senegal's CAS appeal is still outstanding. Until that's resolved, Morocco can't even celebrate the one major title they technically hold. They head into a World Cup in legal limbo, with an unproven coach, a key defender injured, and their best attacker out of favor. That's the hand they're playing.
