Walid Regragui, the national team coach, has decided not to call up Hakim Ziyech, attacking midfielder for Qatar Stars League club Al-Duhail, for the upcoming matches against Niger and Tanzania scheduled for March 21 and 25, as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. According to Assabah, during Regragui's visit to some players in the Gulf, he met with Ziyech in Doha and explained the reason for his exclusion. The coach clarified that the decision was due to Ziyech's recent decline in physical fitness and that he would be given the opportunity to regain it through matches with his Qatari club. Regragui emphasized that this decision was unrelated to Ziyech's personal views or opinions, which remain private. Regragui assured Ziyech of a return to the national team in June, ahead of friendly matches against Benin and Tunisia, as part of preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, which Morocco will host from December 21 to January 18. It is important to note that Ziyech has not played for the national team since last September, during the matches against Gabon and Lesotho in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. His absence followed his public support for the Palestinian cause on social media, as well as his stance on Morocco's foreign policy, sparking speculation about whether these positions were linked to his exclusion from the team.
