AFCON; Morocco keeps coach Regragui despite leaving tournament 

On Monday, the Morocco National Football Federation released a statement saying  Walid Regragui will continue as Morocco’s coach despite their Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) failure.

After getting to the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, expectations were high for Morocco in the Ivory Coast.

After finishing top of their group with two wins and a draw, however, the Atlas Lions lost 2-0 to South Africa in the round of 16, which “caused disappointment”, the federation said in the statement.

“I failed. It’s my failure, not the players,” said Regragui who had previously said he would step down if Morocco did not at least reach the quarter-finals.

But the 48-year-old head coach will remain in place with the Moroccan federation saying it wanted to “mobilize all means to ensure full success for the national team” ahead of the 2025 AFCON and 2030 World Cup, which are both set to take place in the North African country.

Regragui’s AFCON was also marred when he was suspended by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after an altercation with Congolese defender Chancel Mbemba at the end of a group match-a decision that was later overruled after an appeal from the Moroccan federation.