The last time France and Morocco met at a World Cup, France ended a fairytale. On Thursday, July 9, they do it again in the 2026 quarterfinals, and Morocco arrives with something to settle. Kickoff is 4 p.m. ET at Foxborough Stadium outside Boston.
Winner goes to the semifinals. The stakes don’t get much clearer than that.
The 2022 hangover
At Qatar 2022, Morocco became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, riding a run that captured the whole tournament. France ended it with a 2-0 win, then lost the final to Argentina.
Four years on, the roles have shifted. France are still the favorites. But Morocco aren’t the underdog story anymore. The Atlas Lions have firmly established themselves as a genuine contender, and this time they’re not just happy to be here.
How they got to the quarters
France have been ruthless. Five games, five wins, 14 goals scored and just two conceded. The one wobble came in the round of 16, where it took a Kylian Mbappé penalty to break down a stubborn Paraguay side for a 1-0 win.
Morocco have looked just as convincing. They bossed Canada 3-0 in the round of 16 and cruised through the group stage, drawing with Brazil and beating Haiti and Scotland comfortably.
The players who decide it
Mbappé is having a monster tournament. He’s already scored seven goals and sits joint-top of the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. France also have reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who dropped a hat-trick on Norway in the group stage.
Morocco’s danger man has been Azzedine Ounahi, who scored twice against Canada and looks like the most in-form player in their setup. If Morocco are going to flip the 2022 result, it likely runs through him.
What’s actually on the line
The winner advances to a semifinal against whoever comes through Spain vs. Belgium. For France, it’s a chance to keep a title push rolling after falling at the final hurdle in 2022. For Morocco, it’s the shot at revenge they’ve waited four years for, on a stage where they’ve already proven they belong.
France carry the pedigree and the sharper attack. Morocco carry the grudge and a defense that’s only conceded when it hasn’t mattered. That combination is why this is the pick of the quarterfinals.
By Thursday evening, one of these teams is two wins from lifting the trophy, and the other is going home wondering what might have been. Again.
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Related: The World Cup Quarterfinals Are Set. Eight Teams Left, and the Bracket Is Wild.
