Moroccan Federation Rejects Betis's Request for Ezzalzouli Exemption

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has shut the door on Real Betis’s attempt to keep Abde Ezzalzouli out of the upcoming international window.

According to Moroccan outlet "Le360 Sport", the federation rejected a formal request from the Spanish club asking for an exemption that would allow the winger to skip Mohamed Ouahbi’s latest call-up for the games against Gabon and Lesotho.

Betis had hoped to spare Ezzalzouli the long journey to South Africa, where the Atlas Lions will set up camp ahead of their clash with Lesotho in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The plan was simple: keep him at the club, manage his workload, and avoid extra travel.

Morocco were unmoved.

If anything, Ezzalzouli’s recent appearance for Betis against Villarreal only strengthened the federation’s position. From their perspective, those minutes in La Liga answered the only question that mattered: is he fit? The response was clear. Yes.

The federation considers his involvement at club level as proof he has no injury or physical issue that could justify missing national team duty. As things stand, they see no reason why he should not report for the September camp unless a new, documented problem arises in the coming days.

The stakes are high. Morocco face Gabon on 25 September and Lesotho on 29 September, both fixtures counting towards qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals. These are not friendlies to ease through; they are competitive markers for a team reshaping itself under Ouahbi.

The coach is preparing to name his final squad for the camp, with his 23-man list expected next Thursday. That announcement will do more than confirm who boards the plane. It will also offer a first real indication of how far Ouahbi is willing to move on from elements of Morocco’s last World Cup squad, with several names from that campaign potentially at risk.

In that context, Ezzalzouli’s situation feels telling. The federation has dismissed Betis’s request, and the winger’s recent playing time in Spain supports the technical staff’s insistence on having him available. For now, he stands as one of the strongest candidates to be included.

The message from Rabat is unmistakable: if you are fit and playing, Morocco expect you in camp.