Mohamed Ouahbi to be announced as new Morocco coach

A new chapter begins for the Atlas Lions. This Thursday at 8:00 PM (GMT), at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora, Mohamed Ouahbi will be officially presented as Morocco’s new national team coach. This highly anticipated, almost cathartic, press conference will bring to a close a saga that has rocked Moroccan football for several weeks.

Everything changed on January 18th, the day after Morocco’s loss to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat. At a press conference, Walid Regragui was questioned about his future. His evasive answer fueled speculation. Following this, institutional silence, persistent rumors, and a flurry of denials punctuated the wait.

وليد الركراكي ومحمد وهبي ضمن المرشحين للمرحلة النهائية لجائزة أفضل مدرب للسنة (فئة الرجال)

𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) – 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀
Hoalid Regragui
Mohamed Ouahbi#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 | #CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/Y6X31b7K6Y

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) November 17, 2025

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has finally made its decision: the separation from Regragui is official, and a new chapter begins with Ouahbi. A methodical coach, renowned for his rigor and thorough work, the new head of the Lions arrives with a large staff. Portuguese coach João Sacramento will be his first assistant.

Ouahbi led the North African nation to a historic title at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in October, after which he was assigned to the duty of coaching the North African nation’s U-23 national team in December.

The 49-year-old, born in Belgium, previously spent almost twenty years with youth teams at prominent Belgian club RSC Anderlecht. Coaching the Atlas Lions will be his first head coaching assignment at the senior level.

EDITOR NOTE: Portions of this article are translated from the original article written in French by Omar Chraibi for Pan-Africa Football.