Why is Achraf Hakimi Not Playing for Morocco vs Comoros?

The 2025 edition of the FIFA Arab Cup is upon us, as the AFCON heavyweights Morocco take on the Island nation of Comoros in their Group B opener on Tuesday in Gameweek 1st. The Khalifa International Stadium in Al-Rayyan will be the venue of the match for Atlas Lions to record a strong start to the Arab Cup campaign. Placed in Group B alongside Oman and 2-time winner Saudi Arabia, they are entering this tournament as one of the favourites.

For this competition, Morocco has picked up a squad mix of promising talents and experienced names playing across the Middle East and North Africa leagues, under the guidance of Tarik Sektioui. Notably, Sektioui's 26-man squad will not be featuring some of the biggest European stars, since Morocco will be more focused on the upcoming 2026 AFCON in January. However, it will be a perfect opportunity to try out many highly rated talents.

The Atlas Lions' superstar Ashraf Hakimi is one of such big names who will not feature in Qatar. Many fans must be wondering, Is Achraf Hakimi playing today, and What's the update on Achraf Hakimi injury.

Is Achraf Hakimi playing for Morocco Today?

The 2012 edition winner, Morocco, is heavily relying on Tarik Sektioui and his selection in this competition to pursue their second FIFA Arab Cup glory.

As mentioned before, Morocco's squad comprises players from the under-23 side and national camp regulars playing their club football in and around the continent.

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui will be keen to prepare for the AFCON schedule, while also keeping an eye on the performances of players who could bolster the main squad in January. Thus, we won't be seeing Morccon internationals from the top European leagues. PSG full-back Achraf Hakimi is also not called up by Morocco, the 88-time appearance maker for his nation, has been rested to recover from his injury.

The former Real Madrid defender will not be risked, as he's already on a path of recovery from a severe ankle injury. It has kept him out of action since last month, October. Regardless, the Atlas Lions squad's quality cannot be questioned, and they are expected to put up dazzling outings in Qatar.

Morocco FIFA Arab Cup Squad List:

Achraf Hakimi Injury: Recovery Timeline & Return Date

One of the finest full-backs in the world, Achraf Hakimi, was recently crowned the 2025 CAF African Footballer of the Year thanks to a stellar 2024-25 season with Paris Saint-Germain. He was monumental in the Parisians' first-ever UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1 and domestic cup success.

Unfortunately, this season, the Moroccan international is sidelined after suffering an ankle blow during a 1-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. After missing a host of club fixtures, the 27-year-old is determined to make up for his recovery through a rigorous rehabilitation programme. As Hakimi is keen to play the African Cup of Nations in his homeland in January 2026. He is expected to mark his return in late December, considering the recovery is on track.