Morocco negotiating with Iniesta for sports director role ahead of World Cup
The Moroccan national team, Brazil's group-stage opponent, has replaced its coach and is in talks with former Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta for a sports director position.
March 9, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Morocco's national team is undergoing significant organizational changes three months before the World Cup. Last week, coach Walid Regragui was replaced by Mohamed Ouahbi, and further restructuring may follow.
According to reporting by Diario As, Morocco is negotiating with Andrés Iniesta, the former Spanish midfielder and Barcelona player, to become the team's sports director. The discussions have been ongoing for several months, with expectations that an announcement could have accompanied Ouahbi's appointment. A definitive agreement has not yet been reached, delaying the contract signing.
Iniesta won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and spent much of his playing career at Barcelona. If he assumes the sports director role, the arrangement could create a pathway for Xavi, another former Spanish international and Barcelona player who previously managed the club, to take the coaching position with an eye toward the 2030 World Cup.
Morocco faces Brazil in the group stage of the upcoming World Cup tournament.