Qatari club Al Sadd SC confirmed on Sunday that their star defender, Romain Saïss, has been called up to represent Morocco in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The news comes as Morocco is gearing up for two matches. The country will host the AFCON tournament from December 2025 to January 2026,
Al Sadd announced Saïss’s call-up on X, where they listed all the players selected for national duty.
استدعاء دولي #السد pic.twitter.com/5JRTZjI4pK
— 🏆 #79 Al Sadd SC | نادي السد (@AlsaddSC) August 25, 2024
Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui, is set to unveil the full squad during a press conference on Thursday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
The Moroccan national team is scheduled to face Gabon and Lesotho on September 6 and 9, 2025, at the Grand Agadir Stadium as part of the AFCON qualifying campaign. Although Morocco is guaranteed a spot in the tournament as the host nation, the qualifiers are essential for team preparation.
The 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be the first to span two calendar years, running from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The upcoming matches are also seen as an opportunity to boost fan morale following the team’s disappointing exit from the 2024 AFCON, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 2-0 loss to South Africa.