Morocco shift focus to AFCON 2027 after World Cup quarterfinal exit, says head coach Mohamed Ouahbi

Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has urged his players to quickly turn their attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after the Atlas Lions’ impressive FIFA World Cup campaign came to an end with a 2-0 quarterfinal defeat to France.

The North Africans saw their hopes of reaching the last four dashed by a clinical French side, bringing an end to a memorable tournament that showcased the emergence of a new generation of Moroccan talent.

Despite the disappointment, Ouahbi believes Morocco have every reason to remain optimistic as they prepare for the next major challenge.

The Belgian-born coach identified the 2027 AFCON, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, as the team’s immediate priority, with qualifying set to begin in September.

“Before that, we have an AFCON, and if we want to do well, we need to keep building, try to qualify for that and win it,” Ouahbi said after the defeat.

“We have a huge hotbed of talent and a strong federation, so we have everything you could need to keep improving and moving forward.”

While Morocco’s long-term ambitions include the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which they will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal, Ouahbi stressed that success at the continental level must come first as his youthful squad continues to develop.

Morocco’s starting lineup against France reflected the country’s exciting future, with several promising youngsters featuring prominently, including French-born teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. However, the experienced French side proved too strong on the night.

Ouahbi acknowledged the quality of the opposition and admitted his side had been pushed to their limits throughout the encounter.

“We have to acknowledge that they are such a good side. They could have scored earlier than they did, but we wanted to hold on a little longer and see how they were going to react,” he explained.

Despite the defeat, the coach praised his players for their efforts throughout the tournament, insisting the experience would accelerate their development on the international stage.

“We have a talented young team, and we want to get better. This tournament will help us improve,” he said.

“These players have had an extraordinary year, with an AFCON in the middle, so it is not easy.”

Ouahbi concluded by urging his squad to recover from the World Cup disappointment and channel their energy into the upcoming AFCON qualifying campaign.

“We need to come back in September, pick ourselves up, and keep going.”

Morocco’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals further underlined the country’s growing stature in world football, and with a talented young core, a strong football structure and the prospect of hosting the 2030 World Cup, the Atlas Lions will be determined to build on their progress in the years ahead.