The Moroccan national team witnessed a pivotal transformation after Walid Regragui announced his departure from his position before the 2026 World Cup, with Mohamed Wehbe assuming the task of leading the “Atlas Lions” following the African Cup of Nations disappointment against Senegal.

Published on: 03/06/2026 - 02:19 Last updated: 03/06/2026 - 07:36

Moroccan national football team coach Walid Regragui announced his departure from his position less than four months before the start of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, during a ceremony honoring him on Thursday evening, with his compatriot Mohamed Wehbe succeeding him in leadership of the “Atlas Lions.”

In his speech during the ceremony, Regragui expressed his feelings of “sincerity, gratitude and confidence,” stressing that he fulfilled his duty in serving his country during the period in which he led the national team.

This decision came after Morocco failed to win the 2025 African Cup of Nations on home soil, losing the final to Senegal 0-1 last January, in addition to being eliminated from the quarter-finals of the previous edition in Ivory Coast 2024, despite the historic path in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when it reached the semi-finals for the first time in the history of the Arab and African teams.

Read also: Africa Cup of Nations: After losing the title...is Walid Regragui’s period at the helm of the Moroccan national team over?

Following the announcement of the resignation, the President of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fawzi Lakjaa, revealed the identity of the new coach, saying that “Mr. Wehbe is the coach of the national team, and he is the one in whom I placed confidence” to lead the next stage.

For his part, Mohamed Wehbe (49 years old), who won the World Cup with the under-20 team in Chile in October, thanked the university and Lakjaa for the trust, stressing his awareness of the extent of the expectations and his commitment to working “hardly, humbly, and with a high patriotic spirit.” He also thanked Regragui, whose end with the team was surrounded by many rumors after losing the African final.

In the background of this shift at the head of the technical staff, criticism rose from part of the media and the fans regarding Regragui’s technical choices and his adoption of a non-offensive style in their opinion, despite achieving a record of 19 consecutive victories, and the team’s failure to exploit the advantage of the home and the crowd in the final of the continental championship against Senegal.

France 24/AFP

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