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WHO: France vs Morocco
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarterfinals
That: Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
When: Thursday, July 9, 4pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the construction Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT before we start our live commentary.
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The 2026 World Cup will reach the quarterfinal stage, with a big battle between the favorites France and African champions Morocco.
France, two-time world champions and finalists in 2022, have been the most successful team in North American football, scoring 14 goals while conceding just two en route to five wins out of five.
Under the direction of Leader of the Golden Boot Kylian Mbappe, and boasting an impressive trio of Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, France undoubtedly have the most dangerous and impressive squad in the game.
But the next challenge in their quest for a third world title is not easy.
The French are up against Ismael Saibari and Morocco’s Brahim Diaz, who stunned the Netherlands and are looking to topple another European giant.
Atlas Lions, who are no longer rivals but contenders, are looking to reach the semifinals for the first time in history.
Al Jazeera tells you all about France vs Morocco:
How did France and Morocco get to the quarterfinals?
France topped Group I with a record nine points, with wins against Norway, Senegal and Iraq. They beat Sweden 3-0 in the 32nd round before hitting a Opponents of Paraguay 1-0 in the last-16.
Morocco finished second in Group C with seven points, ahead of Scotland and Haiti, and a draw with Brazil. They started their knock campaign with a 3-2 penalty kick victory over the Netherlands in the last-32 already beating Canada 3-0 in the 16th round.
Morocco: Not just opposition, but serious opposition
Four years ago in Qatar – where Morocco stunned Spain and Portugal to become the first African and Arab nation to reach the final of the World Cup – they were recognized as opponents.
But since then, the Lions of Atlas have roared to the top, not just on a global scale but on a global scale.
As the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and buoyed by a 34-game unbeaten run, FIFA’s sixth-ranked country Morocco will enter Thursday’s clash not only out of anger, but continue their promise to win the national championship.
“We are no longer surprising today, and it is something to be proud of,” said Moroccan coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over four months ago.
“I think this is just the beginning, and I’m sure we’ll continue to build this brand for years to come.”
The world’s top scorer Brahim Diaz has been one of Morocco’s heroes at the World Cup, thanks to his four assists, while striker Ismael Saibari leads the scoring with three. Soufiane Rahimi and Azzedine Ounahi also contributed, with two goals each.
Saibari, who scored in each of the group’s three games and scored in the penalty shootout that won the Dutch, has been. was not allowed in the quarterfinal, which caused a big problem for Morocco.
The 25-year-old, one of the tournament’s standout players, went off early in the first half of the final with an abdominal injury and did not recover in time to face France.
France is finding different ways to win
Mbappe’s seven goals in five games have strengthened France’s bid for the 2026 title, and also put him in a good position to become the first player to win the Golden Boot multiple times.
But for all their performances, Les Blues had to do it he just got through the bad side of Paraguay and very little protection from the match officials.
The game was not pretty, but France finished, showing that Didier Deschamps’ team has the determination and incredible talent to become world champions.
“I think that playing games like this at this time of the tournament was good for us, because it gives answers to what the players can do when they are faced with such difficulties,” France assistant coach Guy Stephan told reporters on Monday.
“It was a day when it would have been easy to lose control, and no one lost control.”
Stephan knows that Morocco will face a very different challenge than Paraguay, saying that the North Africans are a “well-organized, well-organized group” that is very interesting in terms of change.
“They’re also strong on their own, whether it’s on the right or on the left … they’re a good team,” he said.
France vs Morocco Prediction
The Opta supercomputer gives France a 61.7% chance of winning in regulation time, while Morocco’s chance of winning is 16.2%.
The model estimates a 22.1 percent chance that the game will go to overtime.
France vs Morocco: How to watch, schedule
- France: beIN SPORTS 1 (10pm, Central European Summer Time)
- Morocco: beIN SPORTS (9pm, Western European Summer Time)
- United States: Peacock, Fox, Fox One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network (4pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
- United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (9pm, British Summer Time)
To view the TV schedule for your country, visit the FIFA TV schedule Here.
Who will the winners face in the semifinals?
The winners of the France vs Morocco match will play Spain or Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas, Texas in the US on July 14.
France vs Morocco: head to head
The last time Morocco faced France was when the Atlas Lions played in the first round of the World Cup. It started in December 2022, and Morocco lost 2-0.
In total, they met six times, France won four games and two ended in one.
France vs Morocco: Team news
Morocco ahead Saibari is injured in the hip and could be replaced by Rahimi in the lineup.
French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is doubtful due to the injury he suffered in the last 16 match.
Three French players – Olise, Barcola and Manu Kone – were kept out of the final and are at risk of a ban if they pick up another yellow card against Morocco.
A predicted line from France
(4-2-3-1): Maignan (goalkeeper); Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Bape
The predicted line of Morocco
( 4-2-3-1 ): Bounou (goalkeeper); Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Rahimi
