Walid Regragui guided Wydad Casablanca to the African Champions League title in 2022 before taking the Morocco job
Published March 6, 2026 • Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c62dnepz5g7o
Morocco have parted company with head coach Walid Regragui less than four months before the World Cup finals.
The 50-year-old led the Atlas Lions to the semi-finals at the Qatar 2022 tournament - making history as the first African side to progress to the last four of the finals.
Mohamed Ouahbi, 49, has stepped up from the under-23 side to be the new head coach in a move that mirrors Regragui taking charge in August 2022, just three months before that World Cup.
A statement said: "This is not simply a change. The objective is to ensure the continuous development of Moroccan football through a structured roadmap."
Morocco also reached the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final on home soil, but lost 1-0 to Senegal after extra time in a dramatic match in which their opponents temporarily refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty that was subsequently missed by Brahim Diaz.
"The team needs a fresh face, a different energy, and a new perspective with a new coach," added Regragui.
"I think the team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup, a new vision to continue progressing. My decision to leave is part of this team's evolution."
He had been under intense pressure to deliver a first continental title since 1976, and speculation had been gathering in recent weeks that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) were set to make a change.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said on social media how Regragui "left an unforgettable mark on the history of Moroccan football".
Morocco open their World Cup campaign against five-time champions Brazil on 13 June.
The North Africans will also face Scotland and Haiti in Group C of the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Atlas Lions meet Ecuador and Paraguay in friendly matches during next month's international window.