According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Regragui spoke on Sunday at a press conference held on the eve of the match and said, “We play every match to win. We came to Zambia to deliver a good performance.” He added that Morocco will not field the same lineup that played against Niger on Friday but that the objective of winning will remain.
Regragui said the match holds no stakes for Morocco in terms of World Cup qualification, as the team has already secured its place at the 2026 World Cup, but that it will be a chance to manage player fatigue and to avoid revealing all tactical options ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, where Morocco and Zambia will be in the same group.
Regragui said the changes to the lineup will allow players who see the game to show their qualities and that he is aware of the responsibility of selecting the final list for AFCON, saying, “I am fully aware of this responsibility. I cannot afford to make mistakes in my choices.”
Morocco secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a 5-0 win over Niger on Friday, reaching 18 points from six wins in six matches. The group standings are Morocco 18 points, Tanzania 10 points, Zambia 6 points, Niger 6 points, and Congo 1 point.
Regragui said Morocco is focused on AFCON 2025 and that the match against Zambia will be a test for the squad.
Details drawn from the briefing and match record:
– Match: Zambia vs Morocco, Matchday 8, Group E.
– Venue and time: Ndola, 2:00 p.m.
– Press conference: Held on Sunday, on the eve of the fixture.
– Coach: Walid Regragui.
– Coach comments: Team will play to win; will use a different lineup from the Niger game; objective is to win; manage fatigue; use the match to give other players a chance; avoid revealing all tactical options ahead of AFCON.
– Qualification: Morocco qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a 5-0 win over Niger.
– Group E standings after six matches for Morocco: Morocco 18 points (six wins), Tanzania 10 points, Zambia 6 points, Niger 6 points, Congo 1 point.
– World Cup history: 2026 will be Morocco’s seventh appearance and third consecutive qualification (1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2018, 2022, and 2026).
– Source for all information: Agence Marocaine De Presse.