Raja Club Athletic have appointed Spanish coach Paco Jémez as their new head coach ahead of the 2026–27 Botola Pro season.
The 56-year-old succeeds Nasreddine Nabi, who recently left the Moroccan giants after just five matches following disagreements with the club’s technical management over the direction of the team.
Jémez arrives in Casablanca with considerable experience in Spanish football, having previously managed several clubs in La Liga and the Segunda División. His appointment marks a new chapter for Raja as they look to challenge for domestic and continental honours during the new campaign.
The Spanish tactician is already aware of the pressure that comes with taking charge of one of Morocco’s biggest clubs.
In his first comments following his appointment, Jémez acknowledged Raja’s demanding environment and the expectation that the team must compete for trophies.
His first tactical test is expected to come during the Mohamed Friendly Tournament against RS Berkane, as the coach begins assessing his squad and implementing his ideas.
Raja move quickly to strengthen attack
Raja are also continuing their recruitment efforts, with Adel Bettaieb reportedly set to arrive in Morocco to complete a permanent move to the club.
The former Espérance de Tunis centre-forward has reportedly reached an agreement with Raja, with the formal signing expected to take place shortly.
His arrival would provide Jémez with another attacking option as he prepares the squad for the 2026–27 campaign.
The recruitment drive comes as Raja seek to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
A club with major expectations
Raja, widely known as Raja Casablanca or Raja CA, are among Africa’s most successful clubs.
The Casablanca giants have won the CAF Champions League three times, alongside three CAF Confederation Cup titles and two CAF Super Cups.
They are also one of the Moroccan clubs never to have been relegated from the country’s top division since the Botola’s establishment in 1956.
Raja’s rivalry with Wydad AC adds another layer of pressure, with the Casablanca Derby regarded as one of the continent’s biggest football rivalries.
