Casablanca – Portugal’s football expertise will have a strong presence in the 2026–27 Botola Pro season after six Moroccan clubs chose to appoint Portuguese coaches or technical staff ahead of the new campaign.
The latest club to join this list is FUS Rabat, which announced the appointment of Ricardo Formosinho on a two-year deal. His arrival comes as the club looks to build on recent seasons and strengthen its position among Morocco’s top contenders.
FUS thus joins a growing list of Botola clubs placing their faith in Portuguese coaching methods.
Wydad Casablanca also turned to Portugal this summer, appointing Paulo Sérgio as head coach while adding compatriot Paulo Brito to the technical staff as part of a wider rebuilding project under newly elected president Ibrahim El Asri.
Elsewhere, COD Meknes handed the reins to Jorge Paixão, while Difaâ Hassani El Jadida recruited Ricardo Cheu to lead its new sporting project.
Maghreb Fez opted for the experience of Rui Almeida, a coach with a long managerial career across Europe and the Middle East, as the club aims to compete near the top of the table.
Meanwhile, AS FAR strengthened its technical department by bringing in Portuguese coach Soares Gonçalves, adding another Portuguese figure to one of Morocco’s most ambitious clubs.
The growing Portuguese footprint is no coincidence. Over the past decade, Portuguese coaches have built a strong reputation in Moroccan football thanks to their tactical discipline, player development, and success at both club and national-team level.
With nearly half a dozen Botola clubs now relying on Portuguese expertise, the new season is shaping up to showcase not only a battle between Morocco’s biggest teams, but also the continued influence of one of Europe’s most respected coaching schools.
