If you were watching the TV back in the summer of 2023, you probably remember that surreal moment when the Morocco women's national football team basically broke the internet. They were the first Arab and North African nation to ever make it to a Women's World Cup. Honestly, most "experts" had them packed and ready to leave after the group stage, especially after that brutal 6-0 loss to Germany. But then? They beat South Korea. Then they took down Colombia. Suddenly, they were in the Round of 16, and the world had to stop and ask: Wait, where did these guys come from?
Fast forward to January 2026. The hype hasn't died down. If anything, it’s gotten louder. The Atlas Lionesses aren't just a "feel-good story" anymore; they're a legitimate powerhouse in African football. They've spent the last couple of years proving that their World Cup run wasn't some fluke or a stroke of luck.
The Jorge Vilda Era and the March Toward 2026
Ever since Jorge Vilda took over the reins in late 2023, things have felt different. You’ve probably heard his name—he's the guy who led Spain to a World Cup title. Bringing a coach with that kind of resume to Rabat was a massive statement of intent by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). It wasn't just about hiring a big name; it was about professionalizing every single inch of the setup.
The team has been grinding. Hard.
We’re currently sitting just weeks away from the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which Morocco is hosting for the third time in a row. Talk about home-court advantage. The tournament is set to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026. The goal is simple but incredibly heavy: win the whole thing. They’ve lost the last two finals—one to South Africa in 2022 and a heartbreaker to Nigeria in 2024. People in the streets of Casablanca and Marrakech are basically demanding the trophy at this point.
The Roster: Who’s Carrying the Torch?
When you talk about the Morocco women's national football team, you have to start with Ghizlane Chebbak. She’s the heartbeat. The captain. At 35, she’s the veteran who seen the dark days of Moroccan women's football when nobody cared and there was zero funding. She’s the bridge between the old guard and the new "golden generation."
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Then there's Fatima Tagnaout. If you haven’t seen her play for AS FAR or the national team, you’re missing out. She’s a magician on the wing. Her ability to turn a defender inside out is, frankly, embarrassing for the opposition. Along with Ibtissam Jraïdi, who is still banging in goals at a ridiculous rate, they form an attack that makes most CAF defenses lose sleep.
But it's not just the veterans. The 2026 squad is seeing a surge of dual-national talent—players born in France, Spain, or the Netherlands who are choosing to represent their Moroccan roots. This "diaspora effect" has added a layer of tactical flexibility that they used to lack.
Breaking Down the Ranking Rollercoaster
Let's talk numbers because they're kinda weird right now. As of the latest FIFA rankings in late 2025, Morocco is sitting at 66th in the world. They actually dropped a couple of spots after some tough friendlies against South Africa and Burkina Faso.
Does the rank matter? Yes and no.
On one hand, being 5th in Africa (behind the likes of Nigeria and South Africa) keeps them humble. On the other hand, rankings don't capture the momentum. The FRMF has poured millions into the "Sports de Masse" program and the professionalization of the domestic league. Morocco is currently the only nation in the world with two tiers of fully professional women’s football. That’s a fact that usually shocks people who think women's football is only a "European thing."
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What Really Happened Behind the Scenes?
The success of the Morocco women's national football team didn't happen by accident. It wasn't a "miracle." It was a cold, calculated investment.
The Federation's president, Fouzi Lekjaa, basically decided that if the men could reach a World Cup semi-final, the women shouldn't be left behind. They built the Mohammed VI Football Academy. They made sure the women’s team had the same travel budgets, the same medical staff, and the same high-performance training centers as the men.
"We aren't just playing for ourselves anymore," a player once mentioned in a locker room clip. "We're playing for every girl in the mountains and the cities who was told football is for boys."
That’s not just PR fluff. You see it in the stands. During the 2022 WAFCON, they were pulling crowds of 50,000+ people in Rabat. That is unheard of for women’s football in the MENA region.
Critical Challenges Facing the Team in 2026
It’s not all sunshine and roses, though. There are some real hurdles the Atlas Lionesses are hitting right now:
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- The "Vilda" Pressure: Jorge Vilda brings a lot of baggage and a lot of expectation. Some fans are skeptical about his tactical rigidity. If they don't win the 2026 WAFCON on home soil, the critics will be loud.
- Defensive Consistency: While Tagnaout and Jraïdi are great up front, the backline has looked shaky against high-pressing teams. The 4-0 loss to France in the 2023 World Cup exposed some gaps that still haven't been fully plugged.
- Youth Integration: Balancing the legendary status of players like Chebbak with the need to give minutes to 19-year-old prospects is a delicate dance.
Why This Matters for the 2027 World Cup
The upcoming WAFCON isn't just about a trophy. It’s the gateway. The top four teams in the 2026 tournament get a direct ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.
For Morocco, qualifying isn't the ceiling anymore—it's the floor. They want to be a top-20 global team. To do that, they have to dominate their neighbor rivals like Algeria and Senegal in the group stages this March. They need to prove they can beat Nigeria in a final, something they've struggled with historically.
Honestly, the "underdog" tag is officially dead. When the Morocco women's national football team steps onto the pitch now, teams are scared of them. They expect to win. That shift in mentality is the biggest victory of the last four years.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the WAFCON 2026 Group A matches: Morocco vs. Algeria (March 2026) is going to be high-intensity and will set the tone for the tournament.
- Keep an eye on the domestic league (Botola Pro Women): Most of the national team's core still plays for AS FAR. Their chemistry is the team's secret weapon.
- Follow the youth movement: Look for standout performers in the U-17 and U-20 squads; the Federation is fast-tracking these players into the senior team faster than ever before.
- Monitor the FIFA 2027 Qualifiers: The semi-finalists in Rabat this year will be the first African teams to book their flights to Brazil.
The Atlas Lionesses have moved past being a curiosity. They are now a blueprint for how to build a women's sports program from the ground up in a developing nation. Whether they lift the trophy in April or not, the landscape of the sport in Africa has been changed forever by this group of women.