FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — France secured its place in the 2026 World Cup semifinals on Thursday with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco at Gillette Stadium, advancing past a quarterfinal rematch that failed to deliver the drama of their 2022 encounter.
The match pitted the 2018 World Cup champion and 2022 runner-up against the Cinderella story from four years ago, when Morocco became the first Arab and African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. This time, however, the North African squad could advance no further than the quarterfinals, falling to a French side that dominated for much of the contest before a capacity crowd of just over 64,000.
France wasted little time establishing control. In the fourth minute, striker Kylian Mbappé nearly opened the scoring with a shot that narrowly missed the left post. Les Bleus controlled possession throughout the opening period, preventing Morocco from registering a single shot until stoppage time.
The most significant first-half moment came in the 25th minute when Mbappé drew a penalty after being tackled near the Morocco goal. Following a three-minute video review that visibly frustrated the French star, Mbappé's eventual penalty attempt proved disappointing. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou dove low to his right, easily saving the weak effort.
Despite French dominance, the teams entered halftime scoreless on a sweltering day that saw temperatures reach 89 degrees at kickoff. The stalemate would not last long into the second half.
France broke through in the 60th minute when Mbappé unleashed a sensational shot beyond the outstretched arms of Bounou. The goal marked Mbappé's eighth of the tournament, a record 12th in World Cup knockout rounds, and his 20th career World Cup goal — a remarkable milestone for the 27-year-old forward.
Six minutes later, France doubled its advantage. Mbappé flicked a precise pass to Ousmane Dembélé, who sliced through the Moroccan defense to make it 2-0. Mbappé was substituted in the 77th minute with a slight limp, sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle as a precautionary measure.
Morocco's inability to mount a serious offensive threat stands in contrast to the nation's remarkable investment in developing its football program. The Moroccan government constructed a state-of-the-art training facility and academy 15 years ago that rivals France's own soccer training site, according to experts.
"The king of that country made a decision," said Zayn Nabbi, host of the podcast On The Whistle, speaking to NPR. "They were gonna invest in football, and they were gonna use it as soft power. A host of stars are turning down the opportunity to play for European nations to play for Morocco."
That strategy has attracted players like 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who was born in France to Moroccan parents and chose to represent Morocco despite interest from the French national team. Journalists Aomar Boum and Brahim El Guabli wrote in the blog Africa is a Country that "Bouaddi is a symbol of a generational shift in which playing for national teams in Europe is no longer treated as the highest form of recognition."
Despite these investments and Morocco's spirited late efforts to create scoring opportunities, they could not find a way past the French defense. Moroccan player Issa Diop received the match's only yellow card for tackling Mbappé shortly after the opening goal.
France will now face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Those two nations are scheduled to play their quarterfinal match on Friday in Inglewood, California.
