Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi is set to travel to several European countries in the first week of September as he steps up preparations for the national team’s upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifying matches.
Ouahbi’s tour will come ahead of the announcement of his final squad for Morocco’s games against Gabon and Lesotho in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The coach is expected to meet with several Morocco internationals, particularly players who moved to new clubs during the latest transfer window, as well as those returning from injuries and other players who have recently caught the technical staff’s attention.
The meetings will allow Ouahbi to assess the players’ physical and technical condition before finalizing his selections for the two matches.
The tour is also expected to include meetings with several young players who have impressed at the start of the new season, including Abdullah Ouazane of Dutch club Ajax and Soufiane Farsi of German side Schalke, as well as other players being monitored by the national team’s technical staff.
Ouahbi will also check on the fitness of several established Morocco internationals, including Nayef Aguerd and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, whose availability could be important for the team’s upcoming fixtures.
The tour reflects the coach’s efforts to obtain an up-to-date assessment of Morocco’s European-based players before naming his squad.
The Confederation of African Football has announced the schedule for Morocco’s opening two matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Morocco will host Gabon on Sept. 25 at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. GMT. South African referee Abongile Tom has been appointed to officiate the match.
The Atlas Lions will then travel to South Africa to face Lesotho on Sept. 29. The match will kick off at 1 p.m. GMT at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein and will be officiated by Cameroonian referee Abdou Abdel Mvouta.
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