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Morocco
Nation / PlaceMA

Morocco

North African kingdom; 2022 semi-finalists facing Brazil on 13 June; 2030 World Cup co-host.

Morocco became the World Cup's last African side eliminated on 9 July, when France won 2-0 in the quarter-finals after Morocco's round-of-32 penalty shoot-out win over the Netherlands on 29 June.

Last refreshed: 28 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Can Morocco reach another semi-final and cement African football's 2022 breakthrough as no fluke?

Timeline for Morocco

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Background

Morocco is a North African constitutional monarchy of approximately 38 million people, with its capital at Rabat and largest city at Casablanca. It has around 100,000 nationals in the UAE and a significant diaspora across Europe, particularly France and Spain. It is an Abraham Accords signatory (2020), normalising relations with Israel, and will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

Morocco navigates a complex diplomatic position on the 2026 Iran conflict: Abraham Accords alignment with Israel places the kingdom implicitly on the opposite side from Tehran, while Gulf trade ties and a resident diaspora in the UAE make open condemnation of Iran strategically costly. The government has taken no formal public position, a caution consistent with its wider pattern of balancing Gulf, European and Abraham Accords relationships without formal alignment .

Morocco's footballing standing was set before this tournament even began: no African nation had gone as FAR as its 2022 run to the last four, a result that made Achraf Hakimi and coach Walid Regragui the public face of the kingdom's sporting ambition and set the bar this 2026 squad chased.

Key Issues
World Cup run

Morocco became the last African side out

Morocco progressed from Group c as runners-up after a 4-2 comeback win over Haiti, then knocked out the Netherlands in the Round of 32 on 29 June: defender Issa Diop equalised in the 91st minute before the Atlas Lions won a penalty shoot-out 3-2, sending one of Europe's fancied sides out at its earliest-ever World Cup stage .

France ended the run in the quarter-finals, winning 2-0 in Boston on 9 July. Kylian Mbappé missed a first-half penalty, saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, before scoring after the hour; Ousmane Dembélé added a second. Morocco's exit closed out the record ten-nation African entry at this World Cup, with the Atlas Lions finishing as both the tournament's only Arab and only African quarter-finalist .

Common Questions
How far did Morocco get in the 2026 World Cup?
Morocco reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup before losing 2-0 to France in Boston on 9 July, the tournament's first semi-final berth to be decided. Yassine Bounou saved a Kylian Mbappe penalty before France scored twice in the second half.Source: Lowdown - 2026 FIFA World Cup
Who does Morocco play first at the 2026 World Cup?
Morocco face Brazil on 13 June 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Neymar is confirmed absent with a grade-2 calf strain, leaving Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha to carry Brazil's attack.Source: event
Can Moroccan fans attend the 2026 World Cup?
Moroccan fans are in the partially-restricted category for US immigration: they can still obtain tourist visas but face heightened scrutiny compared with unrestricted nations.Source: US State Department
Was a Moroccan killed in the UAE strikes?
Yes. At least one Moroccan is among 10 foreign workers killed in Iranian strikes on the UAE since February 2026.Source: background
Will Morocco host the 2030 World Cup?
Yes. Morocco co-won the bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, with centenary matches also held in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
How far did Morocco get at the 2022 World Cup?
Morocco reached the semi-finals in Qatar 2022, becoming the first African nation in history to achieve that. They beat Portugal in the quarter-finals before losing to France.
Why is Morocco's World Cup squad considered a golden generation?
Morocco's 2022 semi-final run, backed by Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri, most of whom remain in the 2026 squad, marked the high point of African football at a World Cup and established the Atlas Lions as a genuine international force.Source: Lowdown, 2026 FIFA World Cup
Does Morocco support Israel or Iran?
Morocco normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, placing it in a complex diplomatic position during the Iran-Israel conflict. It has not taken a public position on the current war.Source: background