Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi will finalize on Thursday his roughly 23-man squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho, with the group assembling at the Mohammed VI Football Complex from 21 September before departing for both fixtures.
The group was drawn in Cairo on 19 May 2026 and also includes Niger, meaning Morocco must finish in the top two of the four-team pool to qualify.
Morocco go into the campaign as clear favourites on paper, ranked around sixth in the FIFA rankings, well ahead of Gabon (roughly 84th) and Lesotho (near 146th). Ouahbi has said his target is not merely qualification but winning the tournament outright. He also referenced Morocco’s recent World Cup qualifying meetings with both sides, recalling a 1-0 win over Lesotho in that earlier campaign.
The Gabon match kicks off at 19h GMT under South African referee Abongile Tom. For the Lesotho fixture, played on neutral ground due to stadium issues, Cameroonian official Abdo Abdel Mefire has been appointed.
According to Moroccan media reports, the squad is expected to number around 23 players. Ouahbi has reportedly spent recent weeks scouting talent, including a European tour in early September to assess foreign-based players. This will be his first squad list since the 2026 World Cup, and it is expected to blend established members with newer faces as part of a broader rebuilding effort. Many of the uncapped names being monitored have come through the Mohammed VI Football Academy, a structure widely credited with reshaping the pipeline of talent available to the national team.
The squad is due to assemble at the Mohammed VI Football Complex from 21 September, allowing several days of preparation before the group departs for the double-header.
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