Morocco Exits World Cup After Quarter-Final Loss to France

Morocco's National Football Team, known as the Atlas Lions, was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 defeat to France in the quarter-finals on Thursday night. This loss marked the end of the tournament for the last African nation, following a historic campaign where Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals in the previous World Cup held in Qatar 2022.

In North America, Morocco aimed to replicate their success, having previously advanced through the group stage and defeating Canada 3-0 in the round of 16. In the quarter-final match against France, Morocco created several goal opportunities but ultimately succumbed to goals from Kylian Mbappé in the 60th minute and Ousmane Dembélé six minutes later.

Despite the defeat, Morocco's reputation was enhanced, showcasing the progress of African football, which had nine automatic places in the expanded 48-team tournament.