Morocco Takes Three Reserve Players to World Cup Camp in the US

Rabat – Morocco’s coaching staff has decided to bring three reserve players to the national team’s training camp in the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Al Mountakhab reported.

The three players are goalkeeper El Mehdi Al Harrar, defender Marwane Saadane, and midfielder Amine Sbai. Although they are not part of the official 26-man squad, they will participate in all training sessions alongside the rest of the team.

The report added that the players will follow the same preparation program designed by head coach Mohamed Ouahbi and his staff. The move is intended to keep them physically and technically ready throughout the training camp.

The decision serves as a precautionary measure in case any player from the official squad suffers an injury or faces an unexpected issue before or during the tournament. In such a situation, one of the reserve players could be called upon to replace the absent player without disrupting the team’s preparations.

Morocco’s official World Cup squad includes several experienced players who were part of the country’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, including Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou, Sofyan Amrabat, Noussair Mazraoui, and Nayef Aguerd. New faces were also included, most notably 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who recently committed his international future to Morocco. 

The squad announcement has generated significant discussion among Moroccan fans. One of the biggest surprises was the omission of Sofiane Boufal. Mohamed Ouahbi acknowledged that Boufal had performed well but said competition for attacking positions was extremely strong. 

Fans were also surprised by the absence of striker Youssef En-Nesyri, one of Morocco’s most recognizable forwards in recent years. Despite his experience with the national team, he was left out of the final squad as Ouahbi opted for different attacking options. 

Morocco enters the tournament with high expectations after recent successes under Ouahbi, who guided the country’s U20 team to a historic FIFA U-20 World Cup title before taking over the senior national team earlier this year. 

The Atlas Lions have been drawn in Group C, where they will face Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti. Their World Cup campaign begins on June 13 against Brazil in New Jersey, followed by matches against Scotland and Haiti.