France - Morocco / 2026 FIFA World Cup Quarter-final

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the France vs. Morocco quarter-final match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which can also be watched live on JOJ play, kicks off at 10:00 PM.

After a one-day break, the World Cup is back in full swing. Thursday marks the start of the thrilling quarter-final clashes, with all eyes on the stadium in Foxborough, near Boston. The favored French side will battle it out with Morocco, the last African hope in the tournament, for a spot in the elite final four.

The "Atlas Lions" pose a real threat to the European giants. The coach's squad is successfully building on their performance from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they were contenders for medals, and are currently on an incredible 34-match unbeaten streak. Although they lost 1-0 to Senegal in extra time in the January Africa Cup of Nations final, they were later awarded a forfeit victory.

Their journey to the quarter-finals in the current tournament began with a hard-fought draw against Brazil (1-1). They then surprised the islanders from Scotland with an early goal in the 2nd minute (1-0), preventing them from registering a single shot on target. Against Haiti, they clearly dominated, despite a 2-2 halftime score, eventually winning 4-2.

The true knockout test came against the Netherlands (1-1), where the Moroccans equalized in injury time and triumphed in a penalty shootout. Their Round of 16 victory over Canada (3-0) appears straightforward, but it doesn't fully reflect the action on the pitch. However, the African side is facing significant losses, with key striker Ismael Saibari injured and Abde Ezzalzouli also sidelined.

On the other side stands the French team, who have been dominant throughout the tournament so far. In the group stage, they successively defeated Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0), and Norway in a direct battle for first place (4-1). In the first knockout round, France comfortably dispatched Sweden (3-0), but the Round of 16 clash with Paraguay (1-0) brought a considerable amount of tension and unsportsmanlike moments. Kylian Mbappé secured a fully deserved progression for his team from the penalty spot. Key player Aurélien Tchouaméni was absent from this challenging match, and it is expected that Manu Koné will likely replace him in the starting lineup again. Marcus Thuram continues to be sidelined due to health issues.

This highly anticipated showdown will be a repeat of the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final, which France won 2-0. The remaining four historical encounters were all friendly matches, and Morocco has never celebrated a victory against them. The odds, therefore, favor the European side.