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Four years after the semi-final in Qatar, France and Morocco found themselves in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup with a place in the last four on the line.
World champion 1998 and 2018 France is among the main contenders for the coronation. The Blues are aiming for a third world title and the Atlas Lions are looking to confirm their new status among football’s great powers.
Having impressed in Qatar by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final, the Atlas Lions are now looking to take the next step and move closer to a first World Cup title.
What will be the keys to this duel? Can Morocco repeat their 2022 feat and play a second semi-final in a row?
BBC Africa brings you analysis of the issues, players to watch and clues to this first 2026 World Cup quarter-final poster.
Four years after their first World Cup clash, with France winning 2-0 in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, the Blues and Atlas Lions will meet again on Thursday in Boston with a place in the last four on the line.
This time the context is different. In 2022, Morocco became the sensation of the tournament, becoming the first African team to reach the world semi-finals.
In 2026, coach Mohamed Wahbi’s team will no longer be outsiders. Their presence in the top eight teams in the competition confirms their change in caliber since the epic in Qatar.
The goal for Didier Deschamps’ French team is clear: to continue on their path to a third World Cup final in eight years and a third world title.
Observers consider the Blues to be the favorites of the tournament, with five wins in the same number of matches.
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Image caption, Didier Deschamps is one of only three people in the world to have won this trophy, both as a player (1998) and as a coach (2018).
A journey of two teams
The Blues had a brilliant run through Group I. First in Group I they defeated Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0) and Norway (4-1) with three wins, then knocked out Sweden (3-0) and then Paraguay (1-0) in the playoffs.
2022 World Cup finalist France has the tournament’s best record: five wins in five matches, 14 goals scored and only two conceded.
Even if they had to wait to beat Paraguay (1-0) in the round of 16, France remains one of the most impressive teams in the tournament.
Morocco also confirmed its growing power throughout the tournament.
Finished second in Group C behind Brazil thanks to two wins over Scotland (1-0) and Haiti (4-2) and a 1-1 draw against the Seleção, the Atlas Lions then eliminated the Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw and then dominated one of the host nations Canada (3-0) to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Forces present and players to follow
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With an attacking trio consisting of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, The Blues probably have the most explosive attack this World Cup.
Mbappe, who has already scored seven goals, continues to write his history in the tournament. The French captain is just two goals away from Lionel Messi’s record of 21 World Cup goals and should once again be the Moroccans’ main threat.
The main doubt on the French side concerns Aurélien Tshouameni. The Real Madrid midfielder, who suffered an adductor injury and was absent against Paraguay, only returned to group training on Wednesday and appears too difficult to start.
Therefore, Didier Deschamps should resume the tandem. Adrien Rabiot – Manu Kone responsible for controlling the Moroccan midfielder, known for his technical quality and intensity.
On the sides, another duel attracts attention: between Ashraf Hakimi and the player who will occupy the French left flank, Bradley Barcola or Desiree Douhettwo of his teammates at Paris Saint-Germain.
Morocco, on the other hand, will have to cope without Ismael Saibary, the top scorer in this World Cup qualifier with three goals conceded after being injured against Canada.
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Lineup probabilities
Didier Deschamps should lead the same team that started in the round of 16 against Paraguay. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni was questionable in the previous match due to an adductor injury suffered before the round of 16.
In the Moroccan team, the injured Ismael Saibary is out due to a hamstring injury suffered in the match with Canada in the 1/8 finals. The Atlas Lions’ top scorer at this World Cup (3 goals), Saibari, could be replaced by Rahimi in the starting line-up.
Probable composition of France:
(4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
Likely composition of Morocco:
(4-2-3-1): Bunu; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Ainaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Unahi, El-Hannus; Rahimi
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Keys to the match
This quarter-final will pit two teams with different profiles but sharing the same ambitions.
France will be looking to impose their rhythm thanks to the pace of their attacking trio led by Mbappe, Dembele and Olise.
If France has impressed with the quality of their attacking play, they have also shown they can adapt to the most difficult scenarios.
In the match against Paraguay, Didier Deschamps’ team had to deal with a particularly aggressive opponent and a turbulent match. Without showing their most attractive football, they found the necessary resources to qualify.
This ability to vary registers is one of the main advantages of the Blues.
“The game was good for us. The players showed their maturity in a situation where it was easy to lose control,” said Guy Stephane, Didier Deschamps’ assistant.
“Morocco is here for a reason. It will be a confrontation between two teams that love to have the ball, attack and score goals,” warned French coach Didier Deschamps.
“Morocco are a well-organized, well-structured team. They are very good in transition and have players who can make a difference on the flanks. They are undoubtedly a high quality team.”
Morocco, the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, no longer intends to be considered a mere surprise.
Since their historic semi-final in Qatar, the Moroccan national team has forever established itself among the best selective teams on the planet. Coach Mohamed Wahbi, who took over the team after the resignation of Walid Regragui, does not allow his team to settle for reaching the quarter-finals.
“The main thing is not to regret. We will have to play this match at 2000%, if necessary with a knife in our teeth,” he said at a press conference.
Against France, Morocco will rely on their collective organization, their technical prowess and their ability to quickly exploit space in counter-attacks.
However, Saibari’s absence could limit the Moroccans’ options in attack as the striker has been crucial since the start of the World Cup, scoring 3 goals.
In midfield and on the flanks, several duels could have changed the outcome of the match, especially between Achraf Hakimi and the French strikers.
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Precedents between the two teams
The last confrontation between France and Morocco dates back to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Blues won 2-0 and then played in another World Cup final.
Since their first meeting, the two players have faced each other six times, with four French wins and two draws.
All meetings between France and Morocco:
– 1988: France 2-1 Morocco in Monaco (friendly)
– 1998: Morocco – France 2:2 (table 5-6) at the Hassan II tournament in Casablanca (friendly)
– 1999: France – Morocco 1:0 in Marseille (friendly match)
– 2000: Morocco – France 1:5 in Casablanca (friendly match)
– 2007: France – Morocco 2:2 at Stade de France (friendly match)
– 2022: France – Morocco 2:0 in Qatar, World Cup semi-final (official)
What do the statistics say?
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The statistics give the Blues an advantage.
According to supercomputer Opta, France is the favorite with a 61.7% chance of winning in regulation time.
Morocco has a 16.2% chance of winning and an extension probability of 22.1%.
So the statistics tilt in the French’s favour, but the Atlas Lions’ run over the years shows that they regularly know how to beat the odds.
The winner of that quarter-final will face either Spain or Belgium, who will meet each other in the quarter-finals on Friday.