The Spanish newspaper Sport reported that King Mohammed VI of Morocco prevented Jorge Sampaoli from taking over as coach of the Moroccan national team, replacing Walid Regragui.
Moroccan media outlets reported that Sampaoli had accepted an offer to lead the Atlas Lions in the 2026 World Cup, before the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) reversed its decision at the last minute and appointed Mohamed Wahbi instead.
According to the Catalan newspaper, King Mohammed VI vetoed the deal with Sampaoli, prompting the FRMF to immediately halt negotiations.
King Mohammed VI chose Mohamed Wahbi as the new national team coach, in line with his policy of prioritizing Moroccan talent in various fields.
Wahbi signed a contract with the Moroccan national team until the 2026 World Cup. The team’s performance in the tournament will be evaluated, after which a decision will be made regarding whether to renew the contract of the U-20 World Cup champions or hire a new foreign coach.
It is worth noting that the draw for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico placed Morocco in an manageable group along with the Brazilian national team, the Scottish national team and the Haitian national team.
