Morocco Pushes to Secure Ayyoub Bouaddi’s Nationality Change Ahead of 2026 World Cup

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation is doing everything it can to complete the process of switching Ayyoub Bouaddi's football allegiance from France to Morocco. The 17-year-old midfielder from Lille has shown great skill in the French Ligue 1, quickly becoming one of the season's most impressive young players.

Bouaddi has already played for France's youth teams and is seen by many scouts as one of the best young talents in his position. With the support of the Moroccan Football Federation, Moroccan officials are speeding up the preparation of the necessary documents to allow Bouaddi to ask FIFA to change his nationality.

The process includes issuing his Moroccan identity card, which precedes his obtaining a Moroccan passport. The rapid procedures come amid increasing pressure from the French media, who are trying to convince Bouaddi to represent France internationally, and possibly with a view to including him in the French national team in the near future.

The Moroccan Football Federation is hoping that Bouaddi will join its ranks in time for the upcoming international break, coinciding with the resumption of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Big teams such as Juventus and Milan have taken notice of Bouaddi’s impressive performances, and he has already made 13 appearances for Lille this season, providing one assist.

Bouaddi is well-known for his groundbreaking achievements. At the age of 16 years and 3 days, he became the youngest player to compete in a European club competition. At 16 years and 20 days, he also holds the record for being the youngest player to play in Ligue 1 in the twenty-first century.

According to Transfermarkt, his contract with Lille is worth €10 million and is set to expire in 2027.