Morocco defender Hanane Ait El Haj has completed a move to Spanish side Deportivo Alaves Gloriosas just two days before the start of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The experienced full-back, a mainstay for the Lionnes de l’Atlas, joins from AS FAR and returns to a European league she already knows well.
Deportivo Alaves Gloriosas confirmed the signing on Friday 24 July, announcing that Ait El Haj had agreed a deal after leaving AS FAR, one of the leading clubs in African women’s football.
The transfer means the 26-year-old heads into the continental tournament with her club future resolved, as she prepares to represent hosts Morocco at a home CAN for the third consecutive edition.
Return to Spain
Ait El Haj brings significant experience from both domestic and international competition.
At AS FAR, she played a central role in a team that has become a reference point in African women’s football, collecting major honours and featuring regularly in high-level fixtures on the continent.
She is also no stranger to Spanish football. In 2020, the Morocco international joined Zaragoza CFF, before later signing for Valencia CF Femenino in 2022, giving her first-hand knowledge of the demands of the Spanish game.
Her move to Deportivo Alaves Gloriosas marks a fresh chapter in a country and environment she already understands, and where she will again compete in one of Europe’s most competitive women’s leagues.
Moroccan presence at Alaves
At Alaves, Ait El Haj will join a club that already includes another Moroccan prospect.
Youssef Lekhedim, a 20-year-old who came through the youth system at Real Madrid, is part of the men’s team at the Basque club, known as the Babazorros.
The presence of Lekhedim ensures Ait El Haj will not be the only Moroccan international operating within the Alaves structure, underlining the club’s growing links with Moroccan football.
Focus on home CAN 2026
Despite the timing of the transfer, Ait El Haj will not link up with her new team immediately.
The defender is one of 26 players selected by Jorge Vilda for Morocco’s squad at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will be staged in the country from 26 July to 16 August.
Morocco, hosting the competition for the third tournament in a row, have been drawn in a demanding group alongside Algeria, Senegal and Kenya.
The Lionnes de l’Atlas will be aiming to reclaim the continental title, after Nigeria lifted the trophy at the previous edition.
For Ait El Haj, the deal with Alaves allows her to go into the tournament fully focused on the national team, knowing her club situation has been settled.
Once the CAN concludes, she is expected to join up with Deportivo Alaves Gloriosas, where she will look to use her international and African club experience to establish herself over the long term in Spanish football.
