The Athletic has live coverage ofFrance vs Moroccoin the2026 FIFA World Cup
Can Morocco stop Kylian Mbappe?
That could be decisive as they face France for the second consecutive World Cup, this time at the quarter-final stage. Four years ago France won their semi-final 2-0 in Qatar to set up a final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina
Didier Deschamps’ side have looked superb at this tournament and Mbappe has sparkled up front with seven goals in five matches. That puts him level in the Golden Boot standings with Norway’s Erling Haaland and one behind Messi
After France dispatched Paraguay in the last 16, Mbappe was subjected to abuse from a Paraguayan senator, who he described as “despicable” and “racist” after she called the France captain a “colonised Cameroonian”
His focus will return to the pitch at Gillette Stadium, with a place in the last four of the World Cup on the line
We take a closer look at Thursday’s game and where it might be decided…
What’s the key info I need to know?
World rankings: France (FIFA ranking 1) vs Morocco (6)Venue: Gillette Stadium, FoxboroDate: Thursday, July 9Kick-off: 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST
How did France reach the quarterfinals?
France are one of two sides to have won every game (Argentina are the other), scoring 14 goals along the way. They are also yet to fall behind. After struggling to build momentum in their first match against Senegal, they erupted into life in the final 30 minutes, winning 3-1. That was backed up by beating Iraq (3-0) and Norway (4-1) to top Group I
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Kylian Mbappe scored his fifth and sixth goals of the tournament in their round of 32 win against Sweden (3-0), before adding his seventh from the penalty spot against Paraguay, as they won a fiery round of 16 contest 1-0.
How did Morocco reach the quarterfinals?
The Africa Cup of Nations champions opened with a 1-1 draw against Brazil, with Ismael Saibari’s lobbed finish taking the headlines. Morocco won their next two Group C games to qualify in second place, with a 1-0 win against Scotland and a 4-2 victory over Haiti.
Next up was a round of 32 tie against the Netherlands. Defender Issa Diop scored a 91st-minute equaliser to send the game to extra time after a 1-1 draw, and the match was decided by a penalty shootout, with Morocco winning 3-2. They then dumped co-hosts Canada out in the round of 16 with a 3-0 win in Houston, all of their goals coming in the second half
How to watch on TV
United States: 1pm PT / 4pm ET: Fox Sports (English), Telemundo / Peacock (Spanish)Canada: 1pm PT / 4pm ET: TSN / RDSMexico: 2pm CST: Televisa Univision/ TV AztecaUnited Kingdom: 9pm BST: ITV 1/ ITVX
What should we expect from France?
That they are red hot
Until their last-16 game against Paraguay, which descended into acrimony and farce, and during which they needed an Mbappe penalty to win, the French were scything through the tournament, having scored three times or more in each of their first four games. It’s been unusual. Didier Deschamps’ side have been known at previous tournaments for their pragmatism. This, so far, has been a freer, more dangerous France.
The win over Paraguay was less fluid, admittedly, but it was still impressive, showing emotional control in the face of provocation and demonstrating resilience to accompany the team’s decadent attacking gifts.
Chief among those is, of course, Mbappe. He is vying with Messi and Haaland for the Golden Boot, having scored seven goals already, and is surrounded by outrageous offensive talent. Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise will likely start against Morocco, and all three are in outstanding form. Olise has so far contributed five assists in his five games, more than anyone else at the tournament. Three of those have led to Mbappe goals.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates with Dayot Upamecano and michael Olise (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Vincent Carchietta)
Among several others, that will be the combination to stop. Olise will carry a risk of suspension into this game. France are appealing the yellow card he received in the Last-16 game, but if they are unsuccessful and the Bayern Munich winger were to receive another booking, he would then be unavailable for the semi-final. Barcola and Manu Kone are also one yellow card away from a ban.
Deschamps has few injury concerns. Aurelien Tchouameni missed the Paraguay game with an adductor injury and remains a doubt. Inter’s Marcus Thuram was also missing from that game with a calf problem, but has since returned to training and is expected to be available. If Tchouameni does not make it, expect Kone to retain his place in midfield alongside Adrien Rabiot
What should we expect from Morocco?
Morocco’s goal threat at this World Cup has mainly come from Saibari but he has been ruled out of this tie after sustaining a hamstring injury in the first half of his country’s last-16 victory over Canada
Saibari signed for Bayern Munich at the start of this month on the strength of his performances for PSV last season, where he mainly played as an attacking midfielder
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi — who took charge in March — has used him as a false nine at this tournament. The dynamic of Morocco’s attack will now change as other forwards in the squad offer different qualities. His most likely replacement would be Soufiane Rahimi, the 30-year-0ld Al Ain forward who came on for Saibari after 22 minutes against Canada and scored Morocco’s final goal in stoppage time.
Ismael Saibari has been ruled out of Morocco’s massive match against France (Reuters/Daniel Becerril)
Morocco will surely have taken confidence from Paraguay’s stifling of France in the last round, especially given their own form. If you include the overturned result in the Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year, Morocco are unbeaten in 34 matches
They also have other players they can rely on. While Achraf Hakimi is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world at the moment, Brahim acts as their chief creator and has four assists at this World Cup
Will it be enough to beat France? Despite performing well against the Netherlands, Morocco needed a stoppage-time equaliser to take their round of 32 tie to penalties. Then they were slow to get going against Canada before putting them to the pump in the second half
Each of those victories were underpinned by goals on the counter-attack. If France underestimates this threat, they might have problems
Simon Hughes
Who is the star player for each team?
If we stick with the creativity theme and consciously overlook the goalscoring prowess of Mbappe for France, then the supply line of Michael Olise is invaluable. The Bayern Munich midfielder has made five assists this World Cup. His 11 through balls are a tournament high too, and are perfect for Mbappe’s runs in behind
For Morocco, it’s Brahim Diaz. Remember the guy who tried a Panenka penalty to win the AFCON final on home soil earlier this year? And missed it? Well he’s enjoying some redemption here. Diaz is diminutive, a creative left-footer who is more of a No 10 from the right, coming narrow to allow full-back Hakimi to push on. Brahim made two goals in the win over Canada, and split the Scotland defence with a through ball for Saibari to score the only goal in their second match
Liam Tharme
Is there any history in this match-up?
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco went further than any African country ever has by reaching the semi-finals, where they were beaten 2-0 by France
During the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, held in Morocco, former coach Walid Regragui spoke of his regrets from that match, blaming himself for some small tactical decisions which he felt helped France, the country of his birth, to progress
The relationship between France and Morocco, however, is not defined by sporting rivalry. Between 1907 and 1956, France was able to occupy Morocco through economic exploitation and repressive policies
It is estimated that more than a million Moroccans now live in France. Only Algeria (another former French colony) has a bigger immigrant population
Simon Hughes
Where will the game be won and lost?
On counter-attacks
Morocco (10) and France (nine) are the top two sides for fast break shots this tournament, and have three goals each from those situations, which Opta define as a chance created following a regain in a team’s own half and a fast attack upfield
France scored from these situations when 1-0 up against Sweden (round of 32), Norway (groups) and Senegal (groups). With Mbappe, Dembele and especially the speedy Barcola, there is pace up top and they have great passers from deeper to find those runners. It’s why they retreat into a 4-4-2 block sometimes too, enticing opponents onto them so that there is space to break into
The same can be said for Morocco. Saibari put them ahead against Brazil in their opening group-stage game. Left winger Bilal El Khannouss blocked a pass from Lucas Paqueta that led to a turnover, and it took them only two passes to cut through: Noussair Mazraoui split the midfield to Diaz, and he sent Saibari through
Mohamed Ouahbi’s side must do without Saibari against France but they have had at least one fast-break shot in every game this tournament. Hakimi makes big sprints from deep while No 10 Azzedine Ounahi has an engine, and El Khannouss offers pure pace
Watch out for how both teams keep possession, where they take risks and how they position players behind the ball to protect against the other’s counter-attacking threats
Liam Tharme
Who do our experts think will win?
Simon Hughes: France 2 Morocco 1.Morocco have enough talent to cause France problems but will need to be perfect to beat them. They are decent defensively but I just don’t think they’ll have enough quality in that area to resist a brilliant French attack
Seb Stafford-Bloor: France 3 Morocco 1. My broader prediction is that this will be one of the games of the round; there are so many ambitious, technical players on the pitch that it cannot really fail to be. But France probably have too much ability and too much depth; the players they are able to bring off the bench — Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche — are terrifying. They should be able to exploit some of the cracks that even Canada were able to expose in Morocco’s defence.
Stuart James:France 2-0 Morocco. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so certain a team will win a World Cup as I do with France. You keep coming back to the same thing: the quality and depth of their attacking talent. Could this be the game when Michael Olise scores his first World Cup goal? Actually, who cares? He’s been incredible anyway. France won’t underestimate Morocco, though – an excellent team, lots of clever rotations, and some really talented individuals (Ayyoub Bouaddi among them). Bottom line: Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola to get the goals.
Mark Carey: France 3 Morocco 1. Morocco are good, but France are better. Morocco will offer defensive discipline and pose a dangerous counter-attacking threat, but Didier Deschamps’ side have far too much attacking firepower to be stopped. If they play close to their potential, there is only one winner here
Liam Tharme: France 2 Morocco 0. For me, France are better defensively than they are given credit for — just two goals conceded in five matches this tournament. Morocco raised their game against Brazil (groups) and Netherlands (round of 32) but were outplayed for much of the win over Canada. I think France have too much for them
How might they line-up?
Tell me one thing about France that’s going to make me look clever to my friends
Deschamps has refreshed his left side in the knockout rounds
During the group stage he had Theo Hernandez at left-back, a defensive option, and Doue ahead of him on the wing. Doue, only 21 and at his first World Cup, has such a high ceiling, though his performances here have been a bit below what he’s shown for Paris Saint-Germain, barring a well-placed header to seal a 4-1 win over Norway
Deschamps has switched him for Barcola to add pace, clearly satisfied that Dembele and Mbappe provide enough star quality, and the introduction of Lucas Digne at left-back gave them a crossing threat against Sweden and Paraguay’s back fives
Tell me one thing about Morocco that’s going to make me look clever to my friends
Morocco, semi-finalists four years ago, are the first African nation to reach the quarter-finals of two World Cups.
This team, though, is very different tactically to the one which knocked out Spain and Portugal in 2022. They had 27 and 23 per cent possession in those matches under Regragui. He’s since been succeeded byOuahbi, who was coaching their youth national teams during the last World Cup. At times they lean into defensive tactics, but there were 51 Moroccans in Europe’s top-five leagues last season, the 12th-most of any nation
Ouahbi is profiting from a golden generation that he has helped develop, and this Morocco team have more layers to their game
Liam Tharme
Who is the referee?
On Tuesday, FIFA announced an all-Argentinian officiating team for this quarter-final, which hasn’t gone down well in France (who were beaten by Argentina in the 2022 final)
This is the first time in the 2026 World Cup that an officiating team are all from the same country
The referee is Facundo Tello, a 44-year-old who has operated as a FIFA international referee since 2019 and took charge of matches at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024
He has taken charge of two games at this World Cup — South Africa’s 1-0 group stage victory over South Korea on June 25 and Canada’s tournament-opening 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 12
In those games, he issued seven yellow cards and no penalties
Nnamdi Onyeagwara
Who will the winners play next?
The winners will qualify for the semi-finals, with a match against Spain or Belgium at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 14 at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET / 8pm BST.
The quarter-final between Spain and Belgium takes place on July 10 at SoFi Stadium, California, kicking off at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET / 8pm BST
Essential reading ahead of the game
- Europe is dominating another World Cup. That does not look like changing anytime soon
- World Cup quarterfinals bracket predictions: Best games, players and who makes the semifinals
- The Ref: Do players need more protection from referees at this World Cup?
- France ready for ‘war’ at World Cup after winning the ‘disgrace’ of Philadelphia
- Kylian Mbappe laughs at on-pitch provocation – but politician’s abhorrent abuse required powerful reply
- Azzedine Ounahi, the 2022 World Cup star who might just have found himself again
