FRA take on MAR in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final in Boston
The quarter-final will be a rematch of the semi-final encounter at the 2022 edition
Morocco are the first team to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup
France and Morocco will lock horns in the first quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Boston Stadium in Massachusetts. Kylian Mbappe-led Les Bleus have emerged as the standout team in this summer's expanded tournament, finishing at the top of Group I with a flawless winning record before easily defeating Sweden in the round of 32.
The clash in the last-16 against Paraguay presented a challenging obstacle, but Mbappe ultimately secured the breakthrough by converting a penalty, paving the way for a rematch of the semi-final encounter that took place in Qatar four years prior.
Morocco became the first team to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup by defeating co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the round of 16.
Following Egypt's controversial exit against Argentina, the Atlas Lions stand as Africa's only representatives in this prestigious tournament, aiming to secure consecutive appearances in the semi-finals.
The winners will face the victors of the Spain vs Belgium tie.
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: H2H Record
Matches: 8
France: 5
Morocco: 1
Draws: 2
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: Team News
Didier Deschamps is expected to make a last-minute call regarding Aurelien Tchouameni, who missed the 1-0 victory against Paraguay in the last-16 due to a thigh injury. Should he be deemed fit, the midfielder may take the place of Manu Kone. Elsewhere, Desire Doue might start ahead of Bradley Barcola. Ismael Saibari was substituted due to a hamstring injury during the previous match. The Moroccan player is uncertain for the next game.
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: Key Matchups
The one that stands out is Kylian Mbappe up against his former PSG teammate, Achraf Hakimi. Hakimi has consistently risen to the occasion whenever his team requires his support. Both in defense and attack, his performance has been exceptional throughout this tournament. His competition with Mbappe, who is personally chasing the Golden Boot, will be one to watch.
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: Predicted XIs
France XI: Maignan – Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne – Kone, Rabiot – Dembele, Olise, Barcola – Mbappe.
Morocco XI: Bounou – Hakimi, Riad, Diop, Mazraoui – El Aynaoui, Bouaddi – Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss – Rahimi
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: Match Facts
Location: Foxborough, USA
Stadium: Boston Stadium
Date: Thursday, 9 July 2026
Kick-Off: 4:00pm (EST) | 10/07/2026, Friday - 1:30 am (IST)
Match Referee: Facundo Tello
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Pablo Belatti
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade
Fourth Official: Dario Herrera
Reserve Assistant Referee: Cristian Navarro
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: Match Prediction
France faces a challenging game, possibly their most difficult yet, as Morocco remains unbeaten in their last 34 matches across all competitions. However, the last team to beat Morocco at a World Cup was France when the sides met in the 2022 semi-final where the Les Bleus won 2-0. With Mbappe chasing record, this could be a nervy 1-0 win.
France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup 2026: LIVE Streaming
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecasted live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and it's official website.
