Head Coach Regragui Unveils Squad for AFCON 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire

“In a remarkable ruling,” African football’s governing bodies upheld the appeal filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), finding that the withdrawal of Senegalese players during the final against Morocco constituted a violation of the rules of the game, the British newspaper reported.

The paper noted that through this decision, CAF has ruled in favor of the Moroccan national team.

The CAF Appeal Board decided, in accordance with Article 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, to declare Senegal’s national team as having forfeited the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, with the result of the match being recorded as a 3-0 in favor of the FRMF.

The Board issued its ruling following the appeal lodged by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, CAF said in a statement.

This press conference, Ouahbi’s first at the helm of the Atlas Lions’ coaching staff, will take place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex starting at 12:00 PM (local time), the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) stated in a press release.

The match against Ecuador will be played on March 27 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, while the game against Paraguay is scheduled for March 31 at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens.

These two matches are part of the Atlas Lions’ preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Morocco has been placed in Group C, alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.

This appointment is part of the strengthening of the technical management of the Atlas Lions under the leadership of the U20 World Champion.

Youssef Hajji had also previously worked alongside Tarik Sektioui as an assistant coach, notably during the Olympic Games, the CHAN (African Nations Championship), and the Arab Cup.

Furthermore, Mohamed Ouahbi announced during his presentation as the new coach of the Moroccan national team that the Portuguese João Sacramento has been appointed as the first assistant coach.

Following their meeting on Tuesday, the CAF Appeal Board ruled on the appeal lodged by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, CAF announced in a press release.

The appeal lodged by FRMF is deemed admissible in form and is upheld, while the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board is set aside, the same source adds.

The CAF Appeal Board finds that the conduct of the Senegalese team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and that the protest lodged by the FRMF is upheld.

It is declared that the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, resulting in the application of Article 84 and the forfeiture of the match by Senegal, with the result recorded as a 3-0 victory in favor of FRMF.

All other motions or prayer are dismissed.

The CAF Appeal Board also ruled on several incidents related to this match. The appeal lodged regarding Ismaël Saibari, a player on the Moroccan national team, is partially upheld, with the Board confirming that he was guilty of misconduct in violation of Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

The fine imposed on him is revised to a suspension of two official CAF matches, one of which is amended, while the fine of $100,000 is set aside.

Regarding organizational incidents, the appeal concerning the ball boys was partially upheld, with the Jury confirming the FRMF’s liability and reducing the fine to $50,000.

The appeal regarding interference around the OFR/VAR review area was dismissed, with the $100,000 fine confirmed.

Finally, the appeal regarding the laser incident was partially upheld, with the fine imposed on the FRMF reduced to $10,000. All other appeals were dismissed.

“I am driven by a strong determination to continue the work already started in order to build on these achievements and allow the Moroccan national team to keep shining,” Ouahbi said during a press conference held to present him officially at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.

Morocco has a solid foundation capable of competing with top national teams at major global events, particularly the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ouahbi noted.

In this regard, he indicated that his selections will primarily be based on players’ performances rather than their age or the league in which they play.

According to him, the most important aspect is selecting the most competitive players in order to build a “strong and balanced” team, adding that “his contract with Morocco is above all a moral one.”

On this occasion, the Moroccan national team coach introduced his first assistant, João Sacramento, noting that the other members of the technical staff will be announced at a later stage.

For his part, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, said that the choice of Mohamed Ouahbi was the result of “thorough deliberations.”

“We have prioritized continuity,” Lekjaa noted, adding that the trust placed in Moroccan executives eventually bears fruit.

In this regard, the FRMF president also highlighted the crucial role played by the federation’s technical department in the successes of Moroccan football.

During a press conference held at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, Lekjaa wished Ouahbi every success in his new role.

World champion with the Atlas Cubs (U20) in Chile, Ouahbi now takes charge of the senior national team just a few months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Also a finalist in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the Moroccan coach will make his debut on the Morocco bench during two friendly matches the Atlas Lions will play against Ecuador national football team in Spain (March 27) and Paraguay national football team in France (March 31).

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Morocco has been drawn in Group C alongside Brazil national football team, Scotland national football team and Haiti national football team.