2026 FIFA World Cup: Morocco’s Quarter-Final Opponent Confirmed After Beating Canada
- The Atlas Lions of Morocco will face Les Bleus of France in the quarter-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Morocco defeated co-hosts Canada 3-0 to progress while France eliminated South American nation Paraguay
- The fixture is a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, when France beat Morocco 2-0 to end their historic run
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The Atlas Lions of Morocco have learned their opponents in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final after their win over Canada in Houston.
Morocco reached consecutive quarter-finals after their 3-0 win over co-hosts Canada. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice and Soufiane Rahimi netted the third.
Source: Getty Images
As noted by CAF, they were the first African nation to achieve this feat, adding to their list of firsts in Africa after reaching the semi-final in 2022.
Their progress came at a cost as they lost their top scorer at this tournament, Ismael Saibari to an injury. The Bayern Munich star was withdrawn in the 25th minute due to a hamstring injury.
Morocco set to face France
Morocco will face France in the quarter-final after Les Bleus dared the heat in Philadelphia to defeat Paraguay 1-0 and end their World Cup adventure.
Morocco and France will clash in a repeat of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, when Les Bleus stopped Morocco’s historic run with a 2-0 victory.
The match will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, USA on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, 8 PM GMT for a chance to potentially meet Spain or Portugal in the semi-final.
Deschamps sends message to Morocco
French head coach Didier Deschamps warns Morocco that his side possesses some of the best attackers in the world, and he will work out a suitable option.
“I have a group of attacking players with different characteristics. Some excel in speed and making runs in behind, while others are adept at dribbling. Therefore, I must choose what is most suitable according to the nature of the match,” he said via El Botola.
“We possess attacking quality, but facing a low defensive block like this, as we saw against Paraguay, makes things more complicated for any team.
“We also lacked a bit of rhythm and intensity, and took longer than necessary in passing and building play, which gave our opponent an opportunity to continue defending.”
Source: Getty Images
Moroccan boss Ouahbi said that his team has gone beyond being a surprise package after reaching their second consecutive quarter-final.
“I think this is only the beginning and I hope we'll keep producing this kind of run for many years. We want to go as far as possible and make our people proud,” he said.
CAF sends message to Morocco
Legit.ng previously reported that CAF sent a message to Morocco after the Atlas Lions reached their second consecutive World Cup quarter-finals.
The North Africans became the first team on the continent to reach consecutive quarter-finals, earning them an applause from the football governing body.
Source: Legit.ng
