Mohamed Ouahbi names Morocco team for September CAN 2027 qualifiers

10:34

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has unveiled his squad for the opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, selecting a blend of established internationals and emerging talents for the September fixtures against Gabon and Lesotho.

The announcement on Thursday, September 17, comes as Morocco begins a new competitive chapter following its historic run to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Atlas Lions will open their qualifying campaign at home against Gabon on Friday, September 25, in Rabat. Four days later, they will travel to Bloemfontein, South Africa, for their second fixture against Lesotho on Tuesday, September 29.

Ouahbi keeps experienced core while opening the door to new faces

The squad features several of Morocco's most established players, including goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui.

The defensive group also includes Nayef Aguerd, Anass Salah Eddine, Redouane Halhal, Issa Diop, Marwane Saâdane, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Zakaria El Ouahdi and Ali Maamar.

In midfield, Ouahbi has called up Azzedine Ounahi alongside Ayyoub Bouaddi, Samir El Mourabet, Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Oussama Targhalline, Ismael Saibari and Soufiane El-Faouzi.

The selection reflects a combination of players with international experience and younger figures who are increasingly becoming part of Morocco's wider squad structure.

Strong attacking options for the September fixtures

Morocco's attacking department includes Brahim Diaz, Soufiane Rahimi and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, all of whom bring different profiles to the national team's forward line.

They are joined by Yassine Gessime, Yassir Zabiri, Abdellah Ouazzane and Tawfik Bentayeb.

The presence of Zabiri and several other younger forwards underlines the depth available to Ouahbi as he begins the qualifying cycle.

With two matches scheduled within four days, squad depth could prove particularly important as Morocco manages the demands of both the opening home fixture and the subsequent trip to South Africa.

Four goalkeepers selected

Ouahbi has named four goalkeepers for the September international window: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti and Alaa Bellaarouch.

Bounou remains among the most experienced members of the group, while the inclusion of Tagnaouti, Bellaarouch and El Kajoui gives the coaching staff additional options in the position.

The defensive line is led by Hakimi and Mazraoui, with Aguerd among the other experienced options available to the coaching staff.

Two matches to launch the qualifying campaign

The opening encounter with Gabon in Rabat will give Morocco the opportunity to start the campaign on home soil before facing Lesotho away.

The second match will take place at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, adding an immediate travel challenge to the early stages of the qualifying schedule.

For Ouahbi, the September window represents the first step in building a squad capable of navigating the CAN 2027 qualifying process while maintaining continuity after Morocco's latest World Cup campaign.

The focus will now shift from squad selection to preparation, with the Atlas Lions set to begin work ahead of their meeting with Gabon on September 25.