France vs Morocco Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Quarter-Final
Having faced off against each other in the semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up France now take on Morocco in the quarter-finals of FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – TBC / USA – FOX One
France preview: Showing another side to themselves
France were superb in the group stage and the Round of 32 but had to show a different side to themselves in the Round of 16 as they battled to a gritty 1-0 victory against Paraguay in a hostile match in Philadelphia. Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot mid-way through the second half to send Les Bleus into the last eight.
Didier Deschamps' side had scored 13 goals in four matches against Senegal, Iraq, Norway and Sweden before edging past the aggressive and confrontational South Americans. Showing that other side to their game will surely stand them in good stead as we hit the business end of the tournament.
Morocco preview: The rise of Moroccan football
Having become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup when they defeated both Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages in Qatar, Moroccan football has continued to be on the rise with an extremely impressive talent pool that were crowned African champions earlier this year.
Another symbol of their overall success at all levels is manager Mohamed Ouahbi, who led their U20 side to the FIFA U20 World Cup title last year. Ouahbi, who replaced Walid Regragui in March, has continued the good work that Regragui put in, while evolving the style to make the Moroccans even more effective in the final third.
That was on show in the Round of 16 against co-hosts Canada, with the Canadians having much the better of it for large parts in Houston but the North Africans were resolute in defence and ruthlessly efficient on the counter-attack for their 3-0 victory in Texas.
France team news: Tchouameni a doubt
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was ruled out through injury against Paraguay, with Manu Kone and Adrien Rabiot forming a much-needed robust partnership in the middle of the park.
A problem area for the French at this tournament has been at left-back but Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne put in a much-improved performance in the Round of 16 to suggest that problem may now have been solved.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
Unavailable:
Questionable: Tchouameni (Injured), Thuram (Fitness)
Morocco team news: Saibari out?
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Mohamed Ouahbi has been dealt a major blow ahead of this one with Ismael Saibari, having just signed for Bayern Munich, surely now unavailable after limping off against Canada early on due to a hamstring injury.
Crystal Palace centre-back Chadi Riad had been a fitness concern before the game with Redouane Halhal coming in to start alongside Issa Diop, who himself had to be replaced late on.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bounou; Hakimi, Halhal, Diop, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Brahim, Ounahi, El Khannouss; El Kaabi
Unavailable:
Questionable: Diop (Fitness), Riad (Fitness), Saibari (Injured)
France’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Michael Olise ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) – Forward
Matchday 6 captain pick: Kylian Mbappe
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Kylian Mbappe
Free kicks: Michael Olise
Corners: Michael Olise
Morocco’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m) – Defender
Azzedine Ounah2 ($6.8m) – Midfielder
Brahim Diaz ($6.4m) – Midfielder
Matchday 6 captain pick: Brahim Diaz
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi
Free kicks: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Corners: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
Key stats
- France remain unbeaten in all six meetings with Morocco (W4 D2), most recently their 2-0 victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi‑final in Qatar — the nations’ only encounter at the tournament. Didier Deschamps, then as now, was France’s head coach, and six players from that semi‑final are still in this World Cup squad, including Théo Hernandez, scorer of the opening goal.
- France’s record in quarter-final ties at the World Cup is W6 L2. Their only defeats came against Italy in 1938 (L 3-1) and Germany in 2014 (L 1-0).
- France have won 14 of their last 16 international matches (D1 L1).
- France have won 16 of their last 19 FIFA World Cup fixtures (D2 L1).
- Kylian Mbappé’s goal for France against Paraguay was their 150th in the history of the FIFA World Cup. They are just the fourth team to reach the milestone, after Brazil, Germany and Argentina.
- Kylian Mbappé has scored ten goals in his last six FIFA World Cup matches and 19 goals in 19 tournament appearances overall.
- At 27 years and 201 days old, Kylian Mbappé is set to become the youngest player in World Cup history to reach 20 appearances, beating the record of Władysław Żmuda (28y 34d) which was set in 1982. Mbappé would also become France’s joint-record appearance maker in the competition with Hugo Lloris.
- Morocco have lost only two of their last 13 FIFA World Cup games (W6 D5).
- Morocco are the first African country to reach the quarter-finals in consecutive men's World Cups.
- This is Morocco’s second World Cup quarter-final, after their 1-0 victory against Portugal in 2022.
- Morocco have scored in their last six World Cup fixtures, extending their longest such run.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
France vs Morocco prediction
France showed versatility to their game in the Round of 16 but concerns about a blueprint now being laid on how to stifle and generally stop the fluid front four of the French will have to be raised.
Morocco will not indulge in the outright over-the top aggression of the Paraguayans but they will be aware that their best chance is to try and frustrate the French and make the game an awkward one, while possessing much better quality on the ball and on the counter-attack.
Morocco will fancy themselves to try and expose a midfield shield of Rabiot and Kone that hasn’t really been tested throughout this tournament yet, but France have to remain favourites to overcome the Atlas Lions in a likely hard-fought contest in Boston.
France vs Morocco betting tip: France to win & both teams to score
