Morocco have reached the third round of qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after Congo-Brazzaville withdrew from their second-round tie.
The decision was confirmed by the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) on Tuesday, sparing the Morocco women’s national team from entering the competition in the coming days.
Morocco, one of Africa’s seeded teams, had been due to begin their qualifying campaign against Congo-Brazzaville. Their progress had been widely expected even before the withdrawal, with Morocco clear favourites to win the tie unless there was a major upset.
However, the cancellation deprives the team of a potentially important opportunity to recover from their latest disappointment and begin a fresh chapter.
Morocco were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in August. A competitive qualifying match could have helped the squad move on from that result, while also providing an early test ahead of a difficult meeting with Nigeria in early 2027.
The team are aiming to go further than they did in the qualifying campaign for the 2024 Olympic Games, when their bid ended with defeat by Zambia in the final qualifying round.
The FRMF appeared to have anticipated the possibility of Congo-Brazzaville’s withdrawal. No squad had been announced for the planned fixtures, meaning captain Ghizlane Chebbak and her team-mates are expected to remain with their clubs during the international window.
The federation will instead use the extended period to consider changes behind the scenes, including the future of head coach Jorge Vilda.
Vilda’s position is reported to have become increasingly fragile following Morocco’s latest failure at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the sense that the team’s progress has stalled.
According to Le360, the Spanish coach has been told that his time in charge is over, with only the official announcement still to come.
A French coach is reportedly being considered as his replacement, with the name of Eric Blahic having emerged in recent days. Blahic previously worked as assistant to Herve Renard with the France women’s national team.
Morocco’s unexpected passage into the third qualifying round therefore comes at a significant moment for the federation. While the team have advanced without having to play, the break leaves the national set-up focused on resolving its managerial situation before the next major test against Nigeria.