Morocco secures the services of French-born midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in a major boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Morocco have won the international tug of war for highly rated Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who was born in France to Moroccan parents, after FIFA approved his switch of allegiance, giving the Atlas Lions a significant boost just weeks before the World Cup in North America.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said on Friday it had received a decision from FIFA’s Player Status Chamber approving its request to change Bouaddi’s sporting nationality, making him immediately eligible to represent Morocco in all international competitions.

Bouaddi, 18, has represented France at youth level and most recently captained the under-21 side in a European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg, but opted to commit his senior international future to Morocco.

The midfielder is considered one of the brightest young talents in Ligue 1, having become a regular in the Lille squad in recent seasons. He has made more than 90 appearances for the club in all competitions over three campaigns. He was the youngest player to play in a European club competition match, aged 16 years and three days.

Morocco has built a strong track record of recruiting dual nationality players to strengthen its squad. It recently convinced Fulham defender Issa Diop, who was born in France to a Moroccan mother, to commit to the North African nation, as did Ajax Amsterdam’s Rayane Bounida, a former Belgium under-19 captain.

The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Morocco, the first African and Arab country to reach the World Cup semi-finals, has been drawn in Group C, alongside Brazil, Haiti and Scotland.

Published on May 16, 2026