Published On 7/8/2026
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Last update: 16:53 (Mecca time)
The Moroccan national team will clash with France in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, seeking to achieve its first victory in history over its French counterpart and take football revenge for the loss of the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The “Atlas Lions” will face their rivals, the “Roosters” at Boston Stadium tomorrow, Thursday, at eleven o’clock Mecca and Doha time, in the opening of the quarter-final matches of the 2026 World Cup.
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History of confrontations between Morocco and France
This awaited match is the seventh in the total number of confrontations between the two teams in history, as they had previously played against each other 5 times in a friendly framework, while they had only one official match, according to data from the famous “Transfermarkt” website.
The first match between the two teams dates back to the late 1980s, when they met in a friendly confrontation held at the Louis II Stadium in the Principality of Monaco on February 5, 1988, which ended in a difficult victory for France.
After almost 10 years, the meeting between the two teams was renewed, this time in Morocco within the framework of the King Hassan II International Friendly Championship, which took place as part of their preparations for participating in the 1998 World Cup in France.
That confrontation, which took place at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on May 29, 1998, was the only one that Morocco won in history, albeit on penalty kicks, after it ended in a positive draw.
The only official match between Morocco and France was in the semi-finals of the last edition of the World Cup, which was hosted by the State of Qatar.
Al-Bayt Stadium hosted the World Cup match on December 14, 2022, and it ended with France winning with two unanswered goals scored by Theo Hernandez and substitute Randall Kolo-Mwani in the fifth and 79th minutes, respectively.
Results of all previous matches between Morocco and France:
- France 2-1 Morocco (friendly match in February 1988).
- Morocco 2-2 France, then the “Atlas Lions” won on penalties 8-7 (King Hassan II International Friendly Cup tournament in May 1998).
- France 1-0 Morocco (friendly match in January 1999).
- Morocco 1-5 France (friendly match in June 2000).
- France 2-2 Morocco (friendly match in November 2007).
- France 2-0 Morocco (Semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup).
Morocco reached the quarter-finals with a clear victory over Canada 3-0, and a few hours later its French counterpart followed after its hard-fought victory over Paraguay with an unanswered goal scored by its star and top scorer Kylian Mbappe from the penalty spot.
The “Atlas Lions” hope to go beyond their achievement in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in which the team reached the semi-finals, and its national coach, Mohamed Wehbe, has confirmed on more than one occasion that his players want to achieve the title.
But before that, Wahbi and his players must overcome this difficult obstacle, especially since the French national team is considered by many to be the first candidate to achieve the title, given its star-studded squad in various positions.
If the Moroccan team is able to defeat France, it will face the winner of Spain and Belgium in the semi-finals.
