Royal Moroccan Football Federation announced that highly rated Lille midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi has officially chosen to represent Morocco instead of France at international level.
The federation confirmed that FIFA’s Court of Arbitration for Sport approved Bouaddi’s request to change his sporting nationality, making him immediately eligible to play for Morocco in international competitions.
Bouaddi, 18, had previously represented France at youth level, including the under-21 side, where he recently captained the team in a European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg.
The young midfielder is regarded as one of the brightest emerging talents in French football after becoming a regular player for LOSC Lille.
He has already played more than 90 matches for the club across all competitions over the past three seasons.
Bouaddi also holds a notable record as the youngest player ever to feature in a continental club competition match at just 16 years and three days old.
In a message posted on Instagram, Bouaddi said he was proud and happy to choose Morocco, describing it as a heartfelt decision driven by his love for the country and his upbringing. He added that he hopes to inspire more dual-nationality players to represent Morocco.
Morocco continue strengthening their squad with overseas-born talent ahead of the World Cup, where the Atlas Lions, the first Arab and African team to reach a World Cup semi-final, will compete in Group C alongside Brazil, Haiti and Scotland at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
