FIFA Sends Message to Morocco Ahead of Quarterfinal Match vs France
- FIFA confirmed Morocco made history as the first African country to qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals on two occasions
- The Atlas Lions booked their place in the last eight after beating Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Morocco, the reigning AFCON champions, will face France in the quarterfinals as the sole African representative remaining in the tournament
Morocco have etched their names further into football history after FIFA confirmed on Thursday, July 9, that the Atlas Lions are the first African nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on two separate occasions.
The announcement came via FIFA's official X account following Morocco's 3-0 victory over Canada in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a result that sealed their place among the last eight teams remaining in the tournament.
Source: Getty Images
Morocco's historic World Cup journey
Morocco's first run to the quarterfinals came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they went further than any African side had ever gone, reaching the semi-finals before eventually bowing out to France. That campaign redefined expectations for African football on the global stage.
Four years on, the Atlas Lions have picked up where they left off. In the 5th minute, Azzedine Ounahi latched onto a well-worked free-kick routine from Achraf Hakimi before firing a right-footed effort from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner.
Ounahi doubled Morocco's advantage in the 82nd minute after finishing a swift counterattack, while substitute Soufiane Rahimi completed the scoring deep into stoppage time, per AP News.
The achievement is particularly significant given that Morocco arrive at this tournament as the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, having won the 2025 AFCON title.
They are now the only African nation still standing at the 2026 World Cup, with all other continental representatives having exited the competition.
Atlas Lions to face France
Morocco's reward for their Round of 16 victory is a quarterfinal tie against France, a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final in which the French side ended Morocco's fairytale run in Qatar, per ESPN.
The upcoming clash carries considerable historical weight, with Morocco seeking to reverse that result on an even bigger stage.
Their presence in the quarterfinals continues to demonstrate the rising quality of African football and the Atlas Lions' growing reputation as a genuine force in international competition.
Mysterious cat predicts France vs Morocco
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nimbus Pronos, the cat famous for predicting football matches, has shared the outcome of France vs Morocco.
The cat backs Les Bleus to win the match and progress to the semi-final for the third consecutive tournament, having reached the final in the past two editions.
Source: Legit.ng
