Mbappe and France kick off World Cup quarterfinals with Morocco clash

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Who: France vs Morocco
What: FIFA World Cup ۲۰۲۶ – Quarterfinals
Where: Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, the United States
When: Thursday, July ۹, at ۴pm (۲۰:۰۰ GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from ۱۷:۰۰ GMT before our live text commentary stream.

The ۲۰۲۶ World Cup rolls into the quarterfinal stage, kicking off with a blockbuster battle between title favourites France and African champions Morocco.

France, two-time world champions and the ۲۰۲۲ edition’s runners-up, have been the most well-balanced team in the football tournament in North America, scoring a whopping ۱۴ goals while leaking only two en route to a perfect five wins out of five.

Spearheaded by Golden Boot leader Kylian Mbappe, and boasting a tantalising trio of Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, France have arguably the most lethal and enviable attacking unit in the tournament.

But the next challenge in their bid for a third world title is far from easy.

The French are up against Ismael Saibari and Brahim Diaz’s Morocco, who stunned the Netherlands in the knockouts and will be eager to take down another European giant.

The Atlas Lions, no longer challengers but contenders, are looking to reach back-to-back semifinals for the first time in history.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about France vs Morocco:

How did France and Morocco reach the quarterfinals?

France topped Group I with a perfect record of nine points, winning against Norway, Senegal and Iraq. They thrashed Sweden ۳-۰ in the round of ۳۲ before beating a stubborn Paraguay side ۱-۰ in the last-۱۶.

Morocco came second in Group C with seven points, securing victories over Scotland and Haiti, and a draw with Brazil. They began their knockout campaign with a thrilling ۳-۲ penalty shootout win over the Netherlands in the last-۳۲ before smashing Canada ۳-۰ in the round of ۱۶.

Morocco: Not simply challengers, but serious title contenders

Four years ago in Qatar – when Morocco stunned Spain and Portugal to become the first African and Arab nation to reach the World Cup semifinals – they earned the reputation of challengers.

But since then, the Atlas Lions have roared their way to the top, not just at the continental level but on the world stage.

As winners of the ۲۰۲۵ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and buoyed by a ۳۴-match unbeaten streak, FIFA world number six-ranked Morocco head into Thursday’s clash not just to pull off an upset, but to continue their promising bid for a maiden world title.

“We’re no longer a surprise today, and that’s a great source of pride,” said Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who took over four months ago.

“I think this is only the beginning, and I hope we’ll keep producing this kind of run for many years.”

World-class winger Brahim Diaz has been one of Morocco’s heroes at the World Cup, thanks to his four assists, while striker Ismael Saibari leads the goal-scoring charts with three. Soufiane Rahimi and Azzedine Ounahi have also contributed, with two goals apiece.

Saibari, who scored in each of the three group games and struck the winning penalty against the Dutch, has been ruled out of the quarterfinal, dealing a huge blow to Morocco.

The ۲۵-year-old, one of the standout players of the tournament, came off early in the first half in the last game with a hamstring injury and has not recovered in time to face France.

France finding different ways to win

Mbappe’s seven goals in five games have strengthened France’s bid for the ۲۰۲۶ title, while also keeping him in pole position to become the first player to win the Golden Boot more than once.

But for all their swashbuckling swagger, Les Blues had to scrap their way past a rugged Paraguay side with very little protection from the match officials.

The game was far from pretty, but France got the job done, demonstrating that Didier Deschamps’s side possesses both the steely determination and extraordinary talent to become world champions.

“I think that playing a match like that at this stage of the tournament was fruitful ‌for us, because it gives answers about what the players are capable of in the face of that kind of adversity,” France’s assistant coach Guy Stephan told reporters on Monday.

“It was a day when it would have been easy to lose control, and nobody lost control. So that is still proof of maturity, even if they are young players.”

Stephan knows Morocco will pose a far different challenge from Paraguay, describing the North Africans as a “well-organised, well-structured team” who are equally impressive in transition.

“They also have individual strengths, whether on the right side or the left side … It’s undeniably a quality team,” he said.

France vs Morocco prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives France a ۶۱.۷ percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Morocco’s chances of winning are ۱۶.۲ percent.

The model estimates a ۲۲.۱ percent probability of the game going to extra time.

France vs Morocco: How to watch, match schedule

• France: beIN SPORTS ۱ (۱۰pm, Central European Summer Time)
• Morocco: beIN SPORTS (۹pm, Western European Summer Time)
• United States: Peacock, Fox, Fox One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network (۴pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (۹pm, British Summer Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the semifinals?

The winner of the France vs Morocco match will play Spain or Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas, Texas in the US on July ۱۴.

France vs Morocco: Head-to-head

The last time Morocco met France was when the Atlas Lions made their maiden World Cup semifinal appearance. It dates back to December ۲۰۲۲, and Morocco suffered a ۲-۰ defeat.

Overall, they have met six times, with France winning four matches while two ended in a draw.

France vs Morocco: Team news

Morocco forward Saibari is out with a hamstring injury and could be replaced with Rahimi in the lineup.

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is doubtful due to an adductor injury he sustained before the round of ۱۶.

Three France players – Olise, Barcola and Manu Kone – were booked in the last game and risk receiving a ban should they pick up another yellow card against Morocco.

France’s predicted lineup

(۴-۲-۳-۱): Maignan (goalkeeper); Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe

Morocco’s predicted lineup

(۴-۲-۳-۱): Bounou (goalkeeper); Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Rahimi