World Cup

France vs Morocco: World Cup quarter-final preview, team news and key stats

Joel Masibo 09th July, 2026 09:57 AM

France will aim to secure a place in a third successive FIFA World Cup semi-final when they take on Morocco in Thursday’s, July 9, 2026, quarter-final clash at Boston Stadium.

The encounter rekindles memories of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, with the winners progressing to face either Spain or Belgium in the last four.

Match preview

France arrive in the quarter-finals after navigating a difficult Round of 16 contest against Paraguay, overcoming a stubborn opponent to keep their title hopes alive.

Les Bleus have enjoyed an impressive campaign, recording five consecutive victories after topping Group I before eliminating Sweden and Paraguay. Although Kylian Mbappe’s penalty proved decisive against the South Americans, Didier Deschamps’ side have already found the net 13 times during the tournament.

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and Kylian Mbappe of France during the 2022 FIFA World Cup encounter. PHOTO/https://www.facebook.com/equipedefrance/photos

France’s attacking unit has been one of the standout features of their World Cup run. Mbappe has been supported brilliantly by Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, while Desire Doue has also made a significant contribution, winning the decisive penalty against Paraguay with his clever footwork.

Under the guidance of Didier Deschamps, who will step down after the tournament, France have won 11 of their previous 12 competitive fixtures and are currently riding a seven-match winning streak.

Deschamps, who captained France to World Cup glory in 1998 before leading them as coach, is set to equal Helmut Schon’s record by taking charge of his 25th World Cup match. Having already overseen a 4-1 victory over Norway in Boston earlier in the tournament, he will now chase a landmark 20th World Cup win as a manager.

Morocco, meanwhile, face the challenge of defeating France for the first time in regulation time after failing to do so in their previous six meetings, four of which ended in defeat.

Their only previous competitive meeting came in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, when France claimed a 2-0 victory to end Morocco’s historic journey in Qatar.

The Atlas Lions have once again impressed on the global stage, opening their campaign with five unbeaten matches and continuing to raise the profile of African football.

Brahim Diaz leads Morocco players into celebration with fans after 3-0 win over Canada in World Cup last 16 on Saturday, July 4, 2026. PHOTO/https://www.fifa.com/en

Currently ranked seventh in the world, Mohamed Ouahbi’s team finished runners-up in Group C before eliminating the Netherlands via penalties and comfortably defeating co-hosts Canada in the Round of 16.

Following a slow opening period against Canada, Azzedine Ounahi scored twice after the interval to put Morocco in control before substitute Soufiane Rahimi sealed victory in stoppage time.

That triumph extended Morocco’s unbeaten run to 10 matches since their controversial Africa Cup of Nations final defeat in January, though overcoming France may prove to be their toughest assignment yet.

Team news

Mbappe’s winning penalty against Paraguay took his tally to seven goals at the tournament, leaving him level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot. The France captain has now scored 19 goals in World Cup history and continues his pursuit of Messi’s all-time tournament scoring record.

Deschamps is expected to retain the same starting lineup that has served him well throughout the competition. Manu Kone is likely to continue in midfield as Aurelien Tchouameni remains sidelined with a thigh injury after missing the Paraguay clash and several recent training sessions.

Marcus Thuram is also unavailable for selection for France.

Morocco are monitoring the fitness of Bayern Munich midfielder Ismael Saibari, who was forced off early during the win over Canada with a hamstring problem after impressing during the group stage.

Should Saibari fail to recover, Soufiane Rahimi is expected to start in attack. There is also uncertainty surrounding defender Chadi Riad, who was substituted in the previous match and could again be replaced by Redouane Halhal if he is not fully fit.

Creative midfielder Brahim Diaz enters the quarter-final in outstanding form after registering two assists against Canada. He now holds the record for the most World Cup assists by an African player with four and has contributed to 10 goals for Morocco this calendar year.