Morocco sound out Xavi Hernandez for head coach job ahead of 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Morocco are weighing up a sensational move to hire Xavi Hernandez as doubts intensify over the future of head coach Walid Regragui just months before the 2026 World Cup, per The Athletic.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has publicly denied that Regragui has left his post, but senior figures have sounded out potential replacements.

Former Barcelona midfielder and head coach Xavi is among the names being discussed.

No agreement has been reached, and sources close to the Spanish tactician suggest he would prefer to take on a new role after this summer’s tournament rather than immediately.

Regragui made history by guiding Morocco to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the furthest any African nation has progressed in the competition.

That remarkable run increased expectations at home, fuelled by significant investment in facilities and infrastructure over the past decade.

However, subsequent tournaments have failed to match that high.

Morocco exited at the last-16 stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and then fell agonisingly short in last month’s 2025 final, losing to Senegal in extra time on home soil.

Criticism of Regragui’s pragmatic style has grown louder, with pressure mounting despite his previous achievements.

Morocco have been drawn alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti at the expanded 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the FRMF could make a coaching change before the tournament begins.

Xavi would be a bold appointment. The 46-year-old impressed during his stint as Barcelona head coach, winning the league and Spanish Super Cup while blooding many young players.

A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, he enjoyed a glittering career at Barcelona, lifting four Champions League titles and eight La Liga crowns.

He moved into coaching with Al-Sadd and later returned to manage Barcelona between 2021 and 2024.