Atlas Lions begin World Cup rebuild with South American double-header | OneFootball

Atlas Lions begin World Cup rebuild with South American double-header

Morocco will face Ecuador & Paraguay in March 2026 as part of their official build-up to the World Cup 2026.

First step after AFCON disappointment

Fans of the Morocco are waiting with great interest for the upcoming international break in March 2026 which will mark the serious start of preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This will be first appearance of the Atlas Lions since the end of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, hosted in Morocco.

The final loss to Senegal left deep disappointment among supporters after the dream of lifting the continental title slipped away.

Now attention turns to how the team will respond under head coach Walid Regragui and which new faces could be introduced ahead of the global tournament.

Strong test against Ecuador in Madrid

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation confirmed the official friendly schedule. Morocco will open the March camp with a high-level match against Ecuador on Friday 27 March 2026.

The match will take place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano home of Atletico Madrid, with kick-off set for 21:15 GMT.

Second friendly in France against Paraguay

Morocco will then travel to France to face Paraguay on Tuesday 31 March 2026 at the well-known Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens.

The match will start at 20:00 GMT. Lens is home to a large Moroccan community which is expected to create strong atmosphere for the team.