What happened the last time France played Morocco in the World Cup?

France will take on Morocco in the first quarter-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Boston Stadium on Thursday, July 9 (01:30 IST on July 10).

Didier Deschamps’ side qualified for the last eight after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16 in Philadelphia. The Atlas Lions had a relatively easier outing against Canada, winning the match 3-0 in Houston.

This will be the second time the two sides have faced off in the quadrennial event.

The two teams faced off in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.

Les Blues managed to beat the North African team 2-0 with goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Theo Hernandez. The victory made France the first defending champions since Brazil in 1998 to reach the final in the following edition.

The defeat ended Morocco’s inspiring run, which saw it beat Spain and Portugal in the knockouts en route to its best-ever World Cup finish.

Published on July 9, 2026