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The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) on Thursday named Tarik Sektioui as the new head of the men’s Olympic team.
“This appointment is part of the new course set by the National Selection Commission which revolves around coordination and exchange between the technical executives of national teams,” the FRMF said in a press release.
The U23 national team will compete in the forthcoming Olympic Games, scheduled for July 26 to August 11, 2024 in Paris.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Sunday’s match against Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which kicks off the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to take place from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco, Regragui emphasized that “we are aware of the responsibility that falls on us. Our goal is to win the trophy and the players are ready to have a good AFCON.”
Discussing the match against Comoros, the national coach emphasized that “every match is important because we represent Morocco. We have to manage our emotions because there are high expectations, but the players must remain calm, confident, humble and respectful of their opponents.”
Regarding the injuries of certain players on the national team, Regragui noted the need to “adapt to difficulties and last-minute injuries to players,” adding that “the national team has been preparing for these uncertainties for a long time.”
“Every player who is selected will be ready and will do the job,” he insisted.
“Today, we have the determination and conviction that we can win. We want to stay on this path so that Moroccan football remains at the top level and we can compete for titles,” said Regrargui.
“Being the favorites in this competition means that expectations will be high,” he explained, adding that “we have positive pressure that pushes us to better manage our effort, our game, and our mental state.”
Regarding Achraf Hakimi’s participation, Regragui emphasized the player’s efforts to recover, saying that the PSG defender is “an example to everyone given the work he has done to be present at the Africa Cup of Nations.”
According to him, “all the ingredients are there to win, namely motivation, unity and the crowd,” noting that “we have difficult games during which we could suffer, but it only makes the win feel better.”
“The opening match is always difficult for the host country. There was a lot of tension. We have been preparing for this AFCON for two years. This victory was beneficial for us as well as for the fans. We will grow stronger as the tournament progresses,” Regragui stressed at the post-match press conference.
“We corrected our mistakes in the second half. We knew the Comorians would crack after enduring a lot of pressure,” he noted, describing El Kaabi’s goal as “extraordinary.”
“We played to our strengths and with the right mindset. We stayed focused even though we faced difficulties in the first half,” he added, noting that the Comoros team will pose problems for other opponents.
Thanks to this victory, Morocco (3 points) temporarily move to the top of Group A.
The second group match will pit Mali against Zambia on Monday at the Mohammed V Sports Complex in Casablanca.
The first goal of the match was scored by Brahim Diaz in the 55th minute, before Ayoub El Kaabi doubled the lead with a spectacular acrobatic overhead kick in the 74th minute.
Thanks to this victory, Morocco provisionally takes the lead in Group A with 3 points.
The second match in the group will see Mali take on Zambia on Monday (3:00 p.m. Moroccan time) at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
Initial data reveal strong interest in high-profile group-stage fixtures: Colombia–Portugal (Miami, June 27) is currently the most requested match, followed by Brazil–Morocco (New York/New Jersey, June 13), the world football governing body said in a statement.
The matches Mexico–Republic of Korea (Guadalajara, June 18), Ecuador–Germany (New York/New Jersey, June 25) and Scotland–Brazil (Miami, June 24) complete the Top 5, the same source added, noting that the five fixtures bring together nine teams from five continents.
Ticket requests have been submitted from more than 200 countries and territories via the FIFA.com/tickets platform since the opening of this third sales phase.
After the three host countries—Canada, Mexico and the United States—the ten most represented countries of residence in the applications are Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama, the same source noted, explaining that the strong presence of South American countries, as well as Scotland’s return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence, illustrates the global enthusiasm generated by this edition.
The draw phase remains open until Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. ET (5:00 p.m. CET). FIFA recalls that the time at which an application is submitted has no impact on the chances of being selected.
Fans can choose their matches, ticket categories and desired quantities, within the limits set per household. An official resale/exchange marketplace will open on December 15, 2025.
Supporters can consult the FAQs, legal documents and official draw rules on FIFA.com/tickets. No purchase obligation is required to participate, but any successful application will result in an automatic charge to the authorized payment card. Fans must be at least 18 years old, the same source added.
Morocco will compete in Group A of the AFCON alongside Comoros, Mali, and Zambia.
Below is the list of selected players:
– Goalkeepers:
Mounir El Kajoui (Renaissance Berkane), Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Saudi Arabia), Mehdi Lahrar (Raja Casablanca)
– Defenders:
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Mohamed Chibi (Pyramids/Egypt), Jawad El Yamiq (Al-Najma/Saudi Arabia), Romain Saïss (Al-Sadd/Qatar), Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal (Stade Rennais/France), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille/France), Adam Masina (Torino/Italy), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United/England), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands).
– Midfielders:
Oussama Targhaline (Feyenoord/Netherlands), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis/Spain), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Neil El Ainaoui (AS Roma/Italy), Bilal El Khannous (Stuttgart/Germany), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona/Spain)
– Forwards:
Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid/Spain), Ilias Akhomach (Villarreal/Spain), Chemseddine Talbi (Sunderland/England), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe/Turkey), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos/Greece), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain FC/United Arab Emirates), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis/Spain), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Leverkusen/Germany).
Reserves:
Youssef Belammari (Raja Casablanca), Hamza Igamane (Lille/France).
The draw ceremony was attended by US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, whose countries are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, as well as delegations representing the qualifying countries.
The 2026 World Cup promises to be “the biggest World Cup ever organized,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on this occasion.
The 42 already qualified countries will be joined in March by six play-off winners, rounding the number of participants to 48, a first in World Cup history.
This exceptional edition of the World Cup is the first to be jointly organized by three countries and the first to bring together 48 countries, which will play a total of 104 matches, including 78 in the United States, 13 in Canada, and 13 in Mexico.
The 48 participating nations are divided into twelve groups of four teams, with the top two teams in each group qualifying directly for the round of 16. The eight best third-placed teams will complete the draw.
The opening match is scheduled for June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in Greater New York.
Sixteen stadiums will host the competition’s matches (eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada).
