The Morocco national football team has finalized a schedule to play three warm-up matches ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, these friendly matches are intended to provide newly appointed head coach Mohamed Wahbi with an opportunity to evaluate his squad and test various tactical formations before the tournament begins. The administrative body confirmed that the international fixtures will take place in both Africa and North America over the coming weeks. Wahbi officially took charge of the team in March following the departure of former head coach Walid Regragui.
Morocco made football history four years ago at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar by becoming the first African nation to ever reach the semifinals of the tournament. That unprecedented success was largely credited to Walid Regragui, who managed a remarkable defensive tactical setup throughout the competition. However, Regragui mutually parted ways with the federation in March after a disappointing exit in the Africa Cup of Nations. The federation subsequently selected the forty-nine-year-old Mohamed Wahbi, who had previously achieved immense success leading the Moroccan under-twenty youth national team to a world championship title.
Under the management of Wahbi, the Atlas Lions have played two international matches so far with positive results. The team secured a hard-fought draw against Ecuador before claiming a crucial victory over Paraguay, which significantly boosted squad morale. With less than a month remaining before the expanded forty-eight-team World Cup kicks off in North America, the coaching staff is eager to finalize the official twenty-six-man roster. These three upcoming friendly fixtures represent the final window for the new manager to assess player fitness and tactical cohesion on the global stage.
According to the official schedule, Morocco will first face Burundi on May 26 in a match played entirely behind closed doors. Following this initial test, the team will return to the capital city of Rabat to host Madagascar in their second friendly fixture on June 2. The Atlas Lions will then fly to the United States to establish a training camp in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, for advanced conditioning. Morocco will conclude their World Cup preparations on June 7 in New York with a highly anticipated match against a strong Norway national team.
Morocco has been placed into a highly competitive Group C for the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The African powerhouses will officially begin their tournament campaign on June 13 against five-time world champions Brazil. The remaining two opponents in their group are Scotland from Europe and Haiti from the Caribbean region. Moroccan football fans are optimistic that these three strategic warm-up matches will help the new coach iron out tactical flaws and inspire another historic run on the world stage.
