Morocco's World Cup squad: what picking 26 players actually involves

Morocco will announce its final 26-man World Cup squad on May 26, but the decision is far more complex than simply selecting the country’s best players. Behind the final list is a tightly regulated FIFA process involving injuries, tactical balance, player fitness, and even international recruitment battles that can shape an entire tournament campaign.

The process began weeks before the public announcement. Under FIFA regulations, every federation competing at the World Cup must first submit a confidential preliminary squad containing between 35 and 55 players, including at least four goalkeepers. Morocco submitted that list by the May 11 deadline.

Although fans never see the provisional squad, it plays a critical role. Only players included on that longlist are eligible to participate in the tournament.

Any replacement for injury or illness whether before or during the competition, must come from that original pool. That means every name on the preliminary list is strategically important.

If a player was left off before the deadline, they cannot later be called up, regardless of form or circumstances.

From that extended pool, head coach Ouahbi must finalize a squad of between 23 and 26 players. FIFA requires at least three goalkeepers in the final squad, leaving coaches with limited room to balance defenders, midfielders, attackers, and tactical flexibility across a potentially seven-match tournament.

For Morocco, injuries have complicated the selection process significantly. Key players including Achraf Hakimi, Chadi Riad, Nayef Aguerd, and Ismael Saibari are all dealing with fitness concerns ahead of the announcement.

Ouahbi has publicly maintained a calm tone, but his comments have highlighted the strict conditions players must meet before returning to the squad.

According to the coach, injured players must receive full medical clearance and regain complete physical readiness before becoming available for selection.

Hakimi remains the most closely monitored case. The Paris Saint-Germain full-back suffered a thigh injury during the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, raising concerns about his availability for Morocco’s World Cup opener against Brazil on June 13.

Morocco’s staff are also weighing emotional decisions involving experienced players. Reports suggested Ouahbi had considered recalling Hakim Ziyech, now with Wydad Athletic Club, for one final major tournament appearance.

However, recurring fitness issues reportedly ended those discussions. Situations like this are common before World Cups as coaches must decide whether sentiment and experience outweigh physical reliability.

Another major factor shaping Morocco’s squad is the country’s long-running strategy of recruiting dual-nationality players. Morocco’s 2022 World Cup success was heavily built on Europe-born talent with Moroccan roots, including players like Achraf Hakimi and Sofyan Amrabat.

The latest example is Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old had captained France’s under-21 side, but Morocco intensified efforts to secure his international future. FIFA’s approval of Bouaddi’s sporting nationality switch later made him officially eligible to represent Morocco.

The timing proved important. France coach Didier Deschamps omitted Bouaddi from France’s own 26-man squad, clearing the path for Morocco to complete the process.

Once FIFA officially publishes final squads on June 2, changes become extremely limited. Outfield players can only be replaced because of serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before a team’s opening match. Goalkeepers, however, may be replaced at any stage of the tournament.

That final 24-hour period before Morocco faces Brazil at MetLife Stadium could still prove decisive if injuries occur late in training. After kickoff, the squad is effectively locked for the rest of the World Cup.

Reporting confirms that Morocco planned a preparatory camp from May 22–26 involving players from the provisional World Cup pool, with Ouahbi saying the sessions would include all available pre-selected players as he finalized his decisions.

Morocco also scheduled a closed-door friendly against Burundi during that period, suggesting the camp and match were part of the final evaluation process before the squad was locked in.

Morocco entered the tournament in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.