Ouahbi to Reveal Morocco's Squad List Thursday for Gabon, Lesotho Qualifiers
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi will announce on Thursday, September 18, the squad list for the Atlas Lions' first two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Gabon and Lesotho.
Morocco's national team coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, will hold a press conference on Thursday, September 18, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, to unveil the final squad list for the first two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, according to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
The Gabon and Lesotho Matches
The Atlas Lions will play their first Group A qualifier against Gabon on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, before facing Lesotho on Tuesday, September 29, in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Group A Breakdown
Morocco was drawn into Group A alongside Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho, following the draw held at the Confederation of African Football's headquarters in Cairo. The qualifying campaign spans three international windows between September 2026 and March 2027: matchdays 1 and 2 from September 21 to October 6, 2026, matchdays 3 and 4 from November 9 to 17, 2026, and matchdays 5 and 6 from March 22 to 30, 2027. The final tournament will be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda starting June 19, 2027, with the final scheduled for July 17, 2027.
Why This Call-up Matters
The announcement comes as the coach must build his midfield without a key player, after Sofiane Amrabat announced his refusal to play under Mohamed Ouahbi with the national team, putting the coach through an early test to rebuild central midfield without one of the Atlas Lions' key figures in recent years. Morocco enters these qualifiers as the clear favorite in its group, while Moroccan fans await the names of the players who will get their chance to represent the national colors at this first step on the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.