Moroccan club Wydad announced the appointment of Portuguese Paulo Brito as technical director of the team for one season.
Brito assumed technical leadership succeeding Moroccan Mohamed Bencherifa, who led the team temporarily at the end of last season.
The club's statement read
"Wydad Athletic Club announces the appointment of Portuguese coach Paulo Sérgio Brito as head coach of the first team for the 2027-2026 sports season.
This choice comes as part of the club's direction toward opening a new sports chapter, based on technical stability, clarity of vision, and enhancing competitiveness, in line with Wydad's ambitions, history, and stature.
Wydad Athletic Club welcomes Paulo Sérgio Brito into the Wydad family, wishing him every success in his new mission".
Brito became the first Portuguese to coach Wydad since José Romão in the 2005-06 season.
The 58-year-old Portuguese has a long coaching career that began in 2003, most notably leading Sporting Lisbon and Vitória Guimarães.
He also coached Scottish side Hearts, Romanian side Cluj, and Cypriot side APOEL.
He has had several Arab experiences starting in 2016, leading Emirati side Dibba Al-Fujairah, Saudi side Al-Taawoun, and most recently Saudi side Al-Akhdoud last season.
During his coaching career, he won two titles: the Scottish Cup 2011-12 with Hearts and the Cypriot Super Cup with APOEL in 2013.
Three coaches led Wydad last season, starting with Mohamed Amine Benhachem, then Patrice Carteron, and finally Bencherifa.
Wydad finished the 2025-26 season in fifth place in the Moroccan league standings and will be absent from African competitions for the first time since 2015.
