Local Moroccan media reports suggest Ayoub El Kaabi, Munir El Kajoui and Soufiane Rahimi could all be left off coach Mohamed Ouahbi‘s next squad list, despite each playing key roles at the 2026 World Cup. No official confirmation has come from the federation yet, but the reports fit a broader trend of change, with several established names already dropped earlier this month as Ouahbi looks toward younger talent. The full picture should become clearer soon.
A quiet overhaul is taking shape within Morocco’s national team. Just weeks after the Atlas Lions completed their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 26-man squad that included Ayoub El Kaabi, Munir El Kajoui and Soufiane Rahimi, reports suggest all three could be left out of the team’s next call-up. For players who had become fixtures in Morocco’s setup, the shift marks a notable departure from recent form.
Three World Cup mainstays, El Kaabi, El Kajoui and Rahimi, now face an uncertain future in Morocco’s evolving squad plans.
Throughout the World Cup cycle, El Kaabi and Rahimi were regularly featured as central attacking options, while El Kajoui held his place among the squad’s three recognized goalkeepers. Squad trackers and databases consistently listed the trio alongside other established names like Achraf Hakimi and Yassine Bounou, reinforcing their status as core contributors to the national side. El Kaabi himself has become known as one of the Atlas Lions’ most potent forwards, having established himself as a key attacking icon for the national team in recent years.
That continuity now appears to be under review. Local reporting from mid-August indicates head coach Mohamed Ouahbi is preparing a new squad list that leans toward younger, less-established players. According to these accounts, the change is not tied to any single incident but instead reflects a broader effort to refresh the squad following the World Cup.
This aligns with earlier reports from early August, which stated that Ouahbi had already dropped six players from a preliminary post-tournament squad. That list reportedly included El Kaabi and a goalkeeper identified as Munir, alongside Sofyan Amrabat, Amine Sebai, Youssef Belammari and Marouane Saâdane. Additional names, including Halhal and Amaimouni, were mentioned as possible further omissions.
Behind these decisions appears to be a coaching philosophy focused on evaluation. Ouahbi is reportedly planning to use an upcoming training camp, expected at the end of September, to assess new talent and widen competition for starting spots. The approach suggests a belief that even well-established internationals should not assume automatic selection.
As of now, no official squad list has confirmed these reported exclusions. The information circulating comes primarily from credible local media rather than federation statements. Still, the pattern is clear: Morocco’s coaching staff appears ready to test new options, even at the expense of players who were instrumental just months earlier on the World Cup stage.
Get the Atlas Lions Weekly
The biggest Morocco football stories, player updates and analysis—delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
