Rabat – The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has appointed French coach Eric Blahic as the new head coach of the Morocco women’s national team, replacing Spain’s Jorge Vilda.
The appointment marks a new chapter for the Atlas Lionesses following their fourth-place finish at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Blahic, 61, brings extensive coaching experience, although much of his career has been spent as an assistant coach. He has worked with several French clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Sochaux, Guingamp, and Bordeaux. He also had a spell with Nantes during the 2025-2026 season. Blahic holds a UEFA Pro coaching license.
The French coach also has experience in women’s football at international level. He first joined the France women’s national team staff in 2020 as an assistant to Corinne Diacre.
Blahic returned to the French national team in 2023 as part of the coaching staff led by Herve Renard. During that period, he was involved in several major competitions, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He was also part of the French team that reached the final of the 2024 UEFA Women’s Nations League. Blahic left the national team staff after the Paris Olympics, bringing an end to a 16-month spell with the team.
His appointment comes after Vilda’s departure from the Morocco women’s national team. The Spanish coach took charge in October 2023, succeeding Frenchman Reynald Pedros.
Under Vilda, Morocco finished fourth at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The Atlas Lionesses lost to Cameroon on penalties in the semifinals before suffering another defeat to Algeria in the third-place playoff.
Blahic will now take charge of a Moroccan side that has already secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Another major objective will be the team’s bid to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Morocco has advanced directly to the third round of the Olympic qualifiers following the withdrawal of Congo-Brazzaville.
The Morocco job represents Blahic’s first opportunity to lead a national team as head coach. His career has largely been built around assistant coaching roles, making his appointment a significant new challenge.
With Morocco’s women’s football continuing to develop in recent years, Blahic will be tasked with turning that progress into stronger results and titles at continental and international level.
