Rabat – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed excitement at the prospect of Morocco replicating its historic 2022 World Cup campaign at the 2026 tournament, set to kick off in June across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In a social media post, Infantino recalled Morocco’s remarkable run in Qatar 2022, which captured global attention as they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
He said the Atlas Lions would bring the same passion and quality to North America.
“I look forward to seeing your nation build on that momentum and create more magic on the global stage this summer,” Infantino said.
The FIFA president also referenced Morocco’s group-stage fixtures, which include matches against Brazil on June 13, Scotland on June 19, and Haiti on June 24.
Morocco has yet to announce its final 26-man squad. FIFA has indicated that official squad lists will be released on June 2.
Nicknamed the “land of football,” Morocco continues to build on its growing legacy following its historic 2022 World Cup performance, where it became the first African and Arab country to reach the semi-finals.
The team’s participation comes amid continued success, including its recent AFCON triumph—its second continental title in 50 years.
The Atlas Lions will head into the World Cup under new head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
In a recent interview, Ouahbi confirmed that the technical staff has scheduled an initial training camp from May 22 to May 26 for players included in the provisional squad.
This will be followed by a full preparation camp at the Mohammed VI Football Complex starting May 29.
“Thankfully, no player is ruled out of the World Cup,” Ouahbi said. “We are working on recovering all injured players. The key is to remain calm and allow proper rehabilitation.”
He added that two conditions must be met before a player returns: full medical clearance and complete physical readiness.
“The injury must be fully healed, and the player must regain full fitness before being available,” he explained.
