AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Morocco Begins Campaign Against Gabon

Rabat – The Moroccan national football team kicks off its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027) qualifying campaign this Friday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat (19:00 GMT), hosting Gabon for the opening matchday of Group A.

Drawn alongside Niger and Lesotho, the Atlas Lions will begin their qualification journey at home before traveling to South Africa on Tuesday, September 29, to face Lesotho’s Likuena (The Crocodiles) for Matchday 2.

This fixture marks the national team’s first official outing since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

National head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has called up a 29-player squad for this international window, highlighted by the return of Nayef Aguerd and the inclusion of several young talents, including Soufiane El-Faouzi, Yassir Zabiri, Tawfik Bentayeb, and Abdellah Ouazane.

Morocco, however, will have to deal with key absences: Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari are suspended for the match, while Ayoub El Kaabi and Chadi Riad are sidelined due to injury.

On the Gabonese side, the clash comes amid a major shift following the international retirement of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The striker, captain, and iconic figure of the Panthers, announced his retirement from international football, drawing the curtain on his career with the national team.

The two sides are well acquainted, having met multiple times in recent years. During the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, Morocco won both encounters against Gabon—4-1 in Agadir and 5-1 in Franceville.

This opening matchday represents a crucial first test for the Atlas Lions, who aim to launch their qualification campaign on a high note in front of their home crowd.

The AFCON 2027 final tournament is scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.