Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi is preparing to make significant changes to his squad after the 2026 World Cup, with six players who featured at the tournament reportedly set to be left out of the next international selection.
Ouahbi is understood to have concluded that the Atlas Lions need a refreshed squad with greater variety and effectiveness, particularly among the substitutes. The manager is therefore considering the introduction of new players as he looks to develop alternative solutions for Morocco’s upcoming commitments.
According to Moroccan outlet Sport7, Ouahbi has decided to omit Ayoub El Kaabi, Sofyan Amrabat, Amine Sbai, Youssef Belammari, Marouane Saadane and goalkeeper Munir El Kajoui from the squad expected to be announced for the next international break in September.
The report adds that more players could also be excluded as part of the restructuring process. Helhal and Amimouni are among the other names that could be left out of the forthcoming selection.
The proposed changes follow Morocco’s run to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Their campaign ended with a 2-0 defeat by France.
Despite that exit, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation previously chose to retain Ouahbi as head coach of the national team. His continuation in the role has given him the opportunity to reassess the group that represented Morocco at the tournament and begin preparing for the next stage of the team’s development.
The manager is expected to invite several new players to the international camp scheduled for the end of September. The purpose of the camp will be to assess different options, test less established members of the squad and identify new tactical solutions.
Ouahbi’s approach is aimed at giving Morocco more depth and flexibility, with particular emphasis on improving the quality and range of choices available to him from the bench. The anticipated departures would mark an early part of a broader rebuilding process rather than a one-off alteration to the squad.
The Atlas Lions’ progress to the last eight in the United States, Canada and Mexico represented the end of their World Cup campaign, but the upcoming September window will provide Ouahbi with his first major opportunity to reshape the side since the tournament. The final squad is expected to confirm how extensive those changes will be.
