Morocco have appointed Mohamed Ouahbi as head coach of the national team after Walid Regragui left the role, the country’s football federation has confirmed.
His departure follows Morocco’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final defeat to Senegal on 18 January. Regragui had previously said he would step down if Morocco failed to win the competition.
Regragui was appointed Morocco coach on 31 August 2022, replacing Vahid Halilhodzic just three months before the World Cup in Qatar.
Earlier that year, he had guided Wydad Casablanca to the CAF Champions League title with victory over Al Ahly. In 2016 he also led FUS Rabat to their first league title in 70 years.
His biggest achievement came at the 2022 World Cup, where Morocco reached the semi-finals. It was the first time an African or Arab team had advanced that far in the tournament.
The run significantly raised Morocco’s profile in world football and increased expectations around the national side.
Under Regragui, Morocco recorded 35 wins, nine draws and five defeats. The team also climbed to eighth place in the FIFA rankings, the highest position ever reached by an African nation.
However, the pressure of expectations became evident at AFCON, where Morocco entered the tournament as one of the favourites.
Regragui faced criticism over squad selections and fitness management. His decision to keep captain Romain Saiss on the pitch despite injury concerns became a major talking point.
Saiss later retired from international football.
Ouahbi promoted from the youth setup
Ouahbi now takes charge of the senior team after working within Morocco’s youth system since March 2022.
He led Morocco’s under-20 side to win the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2025 after a 2-0 win over Argentina in the final.
Earlier that year, Morocco had reached the final of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, losing 1-0.
Before joining Morocco’s setup, Ouahbi spent 17 years working in the youth academy of Belgian club Anderlecht. He holds a UEFA Pro Licence.
He will be assisted by João Sacramento, a former assistant to José Mourinho, and former Morocco international Youssouf Hadji.
Short time to prepare
Ouahbi takes over with the next World Cup approaching, leaving limited time to prepare.
His immediate challenge will be to stabilise the squad after a turbulent end to Morocco’s AFCON campaign and renewed public scrutiny.
Morocco’s football authorities have invested heavily in youth development and infrastructure in recent years. The federation hopes that the success of younger teams and a growing pool of talent will help the national side build on the momentum created by its historic World Cup run in 2022.
