Walid Regragui has resigned as head coach of Morocco national football team with immediate effect following the team’s failure to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil.

His departure comes only months before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leaving the Atlas Lions facing an unexpected coaching transition as preparations for the global tournament intensify.

According to sources close to the situation, Moroccan football authorities have already begun the process of identifying a successor, with Mohamed Ouahbi emerging as the frontrunner for the role.

The country’s football federation is expected to confirm the decision later tonight at a press conference, where officials are also likely to outline the next steps for the national team.

Morocco have been drawn into a demanding World Cup group where they will face Brazil national football team, Scotland national football team, and Haiti national football team during the group stage in North America.

Regragui’s exit comes at a critical stage for the team, with attention now turning to how quickly a new manager can step in to steer Morocco’s preparations ahead of the tournament.

The 48-year-old coach oversaw one of the most successful periods in Moroccan football history, guiding the team to a historic semi-final finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and leading them to the final of the 2025 AFCON, where they ultimately fell to Senegal national football team.