"The rematch": Morocco set for World Cup 2026 quarter-final showdown with France

The highly anticipated World Cup 2026 quarter-final between Morocco and France, scheduled for next Thursday, promises to be an emotionally charged occasion for the Atlas Lions. Four years after their elimination at the hands of Les Bleus in the 2022 World Cup semi-final in Qatar, the Moroccans have a golden opportunity to exact their revenge—this time with a coveted spot in the last four at stake.

Morocco was the first team to book their place in the quarter-finals thanks to a dominant performance against the tournament hosts, Canada. Mohamed Wahbi’s side cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory, further confirming their outstanding momentum in the competition.

France, on the other hand, had to battle hard to secure their qualification. Les Bleus edged out Paraguay by the narrowest of margins (1-0), with Kylian Mbappé converting a crucial penalty.

Morocco faces France again, four years after Doha

The two teams meet again four years after their World Cup 2022 semi-final clash, which France won 2-0. That encounter remains memorable for a major refereeing controversy, as Morocco had two penalty appeals denied.

While this fixture inevitably stirs up memories of that painful exit, Mohamed Wahbi has been keen to keep emotions in check. The Moroccan head coach insists his team bears no grudge and is fully focused on their sole objective: clinching another historic semi-final berth.

The Morocco-France showdown will take place on Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, United States, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 GMT.

World Cup 2026: Mbappé at the center of controversy after match against Paraguay

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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