France and Morocco renew their growing World Cup rivalry on Thursday as the two nations battle for a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Boston.
The quarter-final is a rematch of their memorable 2022 World Cup semi-final, where France claimed a 2-0 victory to end Morocco’s historic run in Qatar.
Didier Deschamps’ side arrive in the last eight after overcoming a physical and resilient Paraguay team in the Round of 16, keeping alive their bid for a third consecutive World Cup semi-final appearance.
Morocco, meanwhile, are aiming to rewrite history by defeating France for the first time in a competitive fixture. The Atlas Lions have never beaten Les Bleus within 90 minutes, losing four of their previous six meetings.
With either Spain or Belgium awaiting the winners in the semi-finals, both sides know another victory would move them within touching distance of the World Cup final.
Team News
With his winning goal against Paraguay, France skipper Mbappe moved onto seven for the tournament – level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in a star-studded Golden Boot race – and he will wear the armband once again.
Morocco’s main fitness doubt concerns Bayern Munich new boy Ismael Saibari, who impressed during the group stage but was withdrawn early in their last-16 clash.
Possible Lineups
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
Morocco possible starting lineup:
Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Rahimi
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | DSTV stream |
| Kick-off Time | 21:00 (WAT) |
Match predictions
Softfootball predicts France 1-0 Morocco
