In a late-night news conference, Walid Regragui confirmed he had decided to leave his role as head coach of the national side, a move that reshapes morocco’s final months before the World Cup. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation elevated Mohamed Ouahbi from the under-23s to lead the senior team, framing the swap as part of a longer-term roadmap.
Why Morocco changed coach
The federation’s statement was plain: “This is not simply a change. The objective is to ensure the continuous development of Moroccan football through a structured roadmap. ” The change comes less than four months before the World Cup and after a run that included a run to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, where the team lost 1-0 to Senegal after extra time in a match that saw controversy around a stoppage-time penalty.
Walid Regragui leaves with an established record: he guided Wydad Casablanca to the African Champions League title in 2022 and led the national team to the semi-finals at the Qatar 2022 tournament, the first African side to reach that stage. At his press conference he said, “The team needs a fresh face, a different energy, and a new perspective with a new coach” and described his decision as part of the team’s evolution.
What this means for the World Cup and preparations
The Atlas Lions will head into the tournament with Mohamed Ouahbi as head coach. Ouahbi, 49, steps up from the under-23 role and inherits a squad drawn into Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti. The federation has signalled continuity through a structural plan while seeking new momentum on the field.
Ouahbi’s first fixtures with the senior side will include friendly matches against Ecuador and Paraguay in the coming international window, opportunities the new coach will use to settle his staff and test tactical adjustments. The change shifts immediate focus from past achievements to short-term cohesion and match readiness ahead of the group stage challenge.
Voices, reactions and the next steps
Players and officials offered public reactions. Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said that Regragui had “left an unforgettable mark on the history of Moroccan football. ” The departing coach framed his exit as a constructive step: “I think the team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup, a new vision to continue progressing. My decision to leave is part of this team’s evolution. “
The federation named Mohamed Ouahbi as the replacement and stressed development as the guiding principle. Early reports indicate the new coaching team will include trusted assistants alongside Ouahbi as they prepare for pre-tournament friendlies and the World Cup campaign.
On the human side, the change ripples beyond tactics. Players who reached the AFCON final on home soil face renewed scrutiny; staff must adapt to a new leader with limited time to build cohesion; and supporters confront a familiar tension between short-term results and long-term structures.
Back in the room where the late-night announcement was made, the tone was both measured and forward-looking. Regragui’s exit closes a chapter defined by historic progress and a near-miss on the continental title; Ouahbi’s arrival opens another, tasked with turning an institutional roadmap into on-pitch clarity before morocco’s World Cup opener against Brazil and the test of the group stage.
