France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, reaching their third consecutive semifinal. Goals were scored by Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Mbappé had missed a penalty in the first half, saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou, before opening the scoring in the second half with a placed shot inside the post. Dembélé added the second goal shortly after. The Real Madrid forward reached 8 goals in this World Cup, tying Lionel Messi at the top of the tournament scoring chart. Mbappé was substituted during the second half following an ankle injury.

Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou had denied France an early lead with two saves and then the penalty stop on Mbappé. According to available statistics, Bounou had conceded only two goals from nine penalties faced at World Cups, saving four. France, coached by Didier Deschamps, achieved their 20th win in 25 World Cup matches under his management, equaling the record held by German coach Helmut Schön from 1966 to 1978. Les Bleus will face the winner of the Spain-Belgium quarter-final, scheduled for July 10, in the semifinal. The semifinal is set for Tuesday, July 14 at 9:00 PM. France have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the seventh time in the last nine editions and for the third consecutive tournament, having reached the final in both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

The result mirrors the previous meeting between the two sides at the 2022 World Cup, when France won 2-0 with goals from Theo Hernandez and Kolo Muani.

Pre-match: security measures and cultural context In the days leading up to the match, French authorities strengthened security measures in major cities, deploying mobile units and increasing surveillance in sensitive areas. Several media outlets had reported concerns about possible incidents in public squares.

The match also carried cultural significance, given the large Moroccan-origin population in France. Writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, born in Fès and a naturalized French citizen, described the fixture as more than a match and called it the miracle of immigration, noting that football has no well-defined nationality.

On the refereeing front, French coach Deschamps stated in a press conference that he hoped the designated referee, Argentina's Tello, would perform at the level of Letexier in the previous match against Argentina.