Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi is set to name a reshaped squad on Thursday, with FC Twente winger Younes Taha reportedly included in the preliminary selection.
The 23-year-old has made a quiet but impressive start to the season in the Netherlands and could be in contention for his first senior call-up with the Atlas Lions.
Ouahbi is expected to make several changes to the squad that represented Morocco at the 2026 World Cup. Injuries, suspensions and a lack of form could rule out a number of players from that group, creating opportunities for newcomers.
Taha is among a group of emerging Moroccan players who have impressed early in the campaign. Yassir Zabiri, 21, of Racing Santander, Othmane Maamma, 20, of Watford, and 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane of Ajax are also attracting attention.
A left-footed player whose preferred position is on the right wing, Taha can also operate further inside midfield. He has scored twice and provided two assists in nine appearances for FC Twente this season.
He has also started each of the club’s past five matches in all competitions, strengthening his case for recognition at international level.
According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Taha has been rewarded with a place on Morocco’s preliminary list for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Gabon and Lesotho.
Morocco will face Gabon in Rabat on 25 September before playing Lesotho in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on 29 September. One or two friendly matches could follow in early October.
A place in the preliminary group would represent a first senior selection for Taha, who was born in Amsterdam and has previously represented Morocco at Under-23 level.
He has won 11 caps for Morocco Under-23s and scored three goals. Taha was part of the team that won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations at that age level, scoring once and providing an assist during the tournament.
His involvement with the senior squad is not yet guaranteed, however, with Ouahbi still to confirm the final list.
The announcement will reveal whether Taha’s strong run of form with FC Twente is enough to earn him a place among the players selected for Morocco’s upcoming qualifiers.