Action from the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals gets underway tonight in Boston as France and Morocco reopen a rivalry from four years ago. The 2022 semi-final meeting between the two nations in Qatar is still fresh in the memory of the Atlas Lions, and this could act as a powerful motivator, as they seek revenge for the 2-0 defeat despite, arguably, being the better team
Morocco's squad has evolved considerably since that historic run to the semi-finals, but hopes of being among the final four in successive World Cup tournaments have been dealt a massive blow with their leading scorer Ismael Saibari ruled out with a muscular injury sustained in the last-16 win over co-hosts Canada.
France, meanwhile, are the only quarter-finalists with an 100 percent winning record at this summer's tournament as they, impressively, go about their quest to become only the second European nation to contest three consecutive World Cup finals. The winners will progress to face either Spain or Belgium in next week's semi-final. Follow France vs Morocco LIVE from the Boston Stadium below with our dedicated match blog.
France vs Morocco latest news
- France CONFIRMED XI: Deschamps makes one change
- Morocco CONFIRMED XI: Diaz surprise amid Saibari absence
- Kick-off: 9pm BST | Boston Stadium
- How to watch: ITV
- Score prediction
Morocco dressing room
20:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Behind the scenes at the Boston Stadium.
غرفة الملابس جاهزة لأسود الأطلس 👕✅
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) July 9, 2026
The locker room is ready for our 𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🦁#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/UEdDgtCNIc
Fan thoughts: Doue prediction
20:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Doue starting which means Dembele hat trick https://t.co/NKhZm1XUX7 pic.twitter.com/ZTVc3M2La1
— S✖️ (@statusszz) July 9, 2026
Fan reaction: Brahim Diaz role
20:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
brahim diaz at 9, mm that’s new.
— Iddi (@iddidumasi) July 9, 2026
Morocco changes
20:10 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Two changes from the side that beat Canada in the last-16 as Anass Salah-Eddine and Chemsdine Talbi come in for Redouane Halhal and the injured Ismael Saibari.
Looks like it will be Brahim Diaz leading the line.
France changes
20:05 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Just the one change to the France team that started the 1-0 win over Paraguay as Desire Doue replaces Bradley Barcola.
Aurelien Tchouameni has not recovered from a groin injury and his on the bench.
Morocco team in full
20:00 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Morocco XI: Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Mazraoui, Salah-Eddine; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; El Khannouss, Ounahi, Talbi; Diaz
Substitutes: El Kajou, Tagnaouti, Saadane, Belammari, El Ouahdi, Riad, Halhal, Amrabat, El Mourabet, Yassine, Rahimi, Sbai, El Kaabi, Amaimouni
CONFIRMED MOROCCO TEAM NEWS
19:55 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Lining up for Morocco...
🚨 التشكيلة الرسمية لـ منتخبنا الوطني أمام فرنسا
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) July 9, 2026
📋 Our National Team’s 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 against France 🇫🇷#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Y66ePsQLkN
CONFIRMED FRANCE TEAM NEWS
19:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Here is the France team selected to face Morocco...
Le XI pour ce 1/4 de finale 💪
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 9, 2026
🔜 🇫🇷🇲🇦 Coup d’envoi à 22h00 sur M6 et beIN SPORTS 1 📺#FRAMAR l #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/KxbdDGToiE
France team in full
19:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
France XI: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe
Substitutes: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Konate, T.Hernandez, L.Hernandez, Lacroix, Tchouameni, Kante, Zaire-Emery, Cherki, Akliouche, Thuram, Barcola, Mateta
Olise celebration
20:13 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Will Michael Olise get to produce his celebration tonight?
Quand Michael Olise apprend sa célébration à Ibrahima Konaté 🫡🤫 pic.twitter.com/PMxJNqpglh
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 8, 2026
France vs Morocco LIVE - team news imminent
19:40 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The teams will be announced shortly!
Stay tuned...
Makelele prediction
19:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Former France midfielder Claude Makelele has predicted Morocco to win the World Cup if are victorious in Boston tonight.
Speaking to ComeOn, Makelele said: “France vs Morocco is a match with a special feeling because Morocco are one of the best teams in this competition, and in my opinion they are the only team that can beat France.
“If Morocco knock France out, I believe they can go all the way to the final. But if France get past Morocco, I believe we can win the World Cup.
“We are neighbours. We don't share the same culture, but we are connected, and we always will be.
“Morocco are an exceptional side who have worked well and progressed enormously, and they are the one real danger for France. France have to take this match seriously and show this Morocco team respect, because they have earned it. Everyone knows what the Moroccans are capable of. There's a semi-final at stake.”
Mbappe to respond in Golden Boot race?
19:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Lionel Messi has taken back control of a star-studded Golden Boot race at World Cup 2026, ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Messi registered a late goal and an assist as the current holders fought back from 2-0 down with just 11 minutes to go to defeat Egypt 3-2 with an astonishing last-16 comeback in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Mbappe had initially drawn level with Messi thanks to his match-winning penalty against Paraguay, though topped the standings courtesy of his two assists.
The Frenchman needs just one goal tonight to climb back above Messi.
Suspension risks
19:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Due to an extra round of games being added at this World Cup 2026 because of the expansion from 32 teams to 48, FIFA have adjusted their yellow card laws.
In previous years, if a player received two yellow cards across any of the matches before the semi-final, they received an automatic one-game suspension.
However, under FIFA's new regulations, yellow cards are wiped twice throughout the tournament. The first was after the group stage and the next will be after the quarter-finals.
Here are the France and Morocco players who are one yellow card away from missing a potential World Cup semi-final.
France: Michael Olise, Manu Kone
Morocco: Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Redouane Halhal, Bilal El Khannouss
Can anyone stop France?
19:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Can anyone stop France? A fair question before the tournament; even more pertinent now. They’ve won all five of their matches, failing to score as many as three goals in a single game only once, last time out, when kicked to high heaven by the Paraguayans.
In Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and the talismanic Kylian Mbappe, France possess the best front four by some distance. The quartet have 12 goals and nine assists between them in five games.
This tournament is one last hurrah for veteran Didier Deschamps, an incentive to deliver a third crown. No one will fancy playing France.
Morocco predicted XI
19:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
With Ismael Saibari unable to start, Soufiane Rahimi is set to lead the line in Boston and maintain his ever-present record at this summer’s expanded tournament.
Elsewhere, Morocco have Crystal Palace defender Chadi Riad available for selection after he missed the last-16 showdown with a knock.
Achraf Hakimi is expected to captain the side, Arsenal and Manchester United transfer target Ayyoub Bouaddi is set to start against the country of his berth and Azzedine Ounahi will look to follow up his brace from the last round.
Predicted Morocco XI: Bounou; Hakimi, Riad, Diop, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; El Khannouss, Ounahi, Diaz; Rahimi
Predicted France XI
19:10 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Didier Deschamps seems likely to stick with the same side that began the gritty win over Paraguay, with Mike Maignan continuing in goal.
Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba are all stalwarts in defence, with Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise certain to start in attack alongside Mbappe.
The only positions that have changed for France during this World Cup other than midfield are left-back and left wing, where Lucas Digne and Bradley Barcola appeared to have cemented themselves ahead of Theo Hernandez and Desire Doue.
However, reports on Wednesday claimed that Doue was set to replace Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Barcola against Morocco.
Predicted France XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe
Today's settings
19:05 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
This is the seventh and final World Cup 2026 game to be staged at the Boston Stadium.
Both France and Morocco have played and won here, the former beating Norway in their final group game and the latter doing the same against Scotland.
France vs Morocco latest match odds
19:00 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
France to progress: 2/9
Morocco to progress: 31/10
Head to head (h2h) history and results
18:55 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
France wins: 4
Morocco wins: 1
Draws: 1
Score prediction
18:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
This is a tough game for France, potentially their toughest test to date as Morocco, technically, are unbeaten in their last 34 matches across all competitions.
However, France were victorious when the sides met in the 2022 semi-final and we think history will repeat itself with the Atlas Lions failing to avenge that loss.
France to win, 2-0.
Morocco team news
18:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Morocco will be without Ismael Saibari for their World Cup quarter-final with France, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has revealed.
"Everyone's available, except Saibari, with the match coming too early for him," Ouahbi told reporters in Wednesday's pre-match news conference.
"Although he's not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope.
"Everyone's available, although we of course will only select the players who are at 100%."
France team news
18:40 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Didier Deschamps will make a late decision on Aurelien Tchouameni after a thigh injury kept him out of the 1-0 win over Paraguay in the last-16.
If fit, the midfielder could replace Manu Kone.
Elsewhere, Desire Doue could be rewarded for his impact off the bench last time out, potentially replacing Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target Bradley Barcola.
How to watch
18:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on ITV1, with coverage starting at 8pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via ITVX and the ITV website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action right here via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer / ITVX app and their websites.
France vs Morocco LIVE
18:31 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of France vs Morocco!
It is all getting serious now as we have reached the quarter-final stage of the 2026 World Cup and first up is a rematch from the semi-final showdown four years ago in Qatar.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news right here ahead of kick-off, which comes at 9pm BST from the Boston Stadium. Stick with us!
France fail with Olise appeal
18:00 , Alex Young
France have failed in their bid to have Michael Olise’s yellow card against Paraguay overturned.
That means should he be booked against Morocco he would be suspended for the semi-final if they were to progress.
No revenge mission for Morocco
17:30 , Alex Young
Tonight’s game is a repeat of the 2022 semi-final when Morocco became the first African nation to reach the last four but saw their progress halted with the final in their sight.
But head coach Mohamed Ouahbi does not feel they have to avenge that defeat.
“Whoever the opponent is, our goal remains the same: to reach the semi-finals. So, we will focus on ourselves,” he said.
“There is no revenge. We only want to continue our journey.”
Deschamps dismisses referee concerns
17:00 , Alex Young
Didier Deschamps has played down the appointment of Argentinian officials for tonight’s game.
A repeat of the 2022 final, which France lost, remains a possibility and so when Facundo Tello was awarded this game, along with two Argentinian assistants, an Argentinian reserve assistant and an Argentinian fourth official, eyebrows were raised in some quarters.
But not by Deschamps, who said: “We have to deal with it. I trust the referees. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee.”
Reserve goalkeeper Robin Risser also backed the officials.
“There’s been a certain bitterness (between France and Argentina) for a few years now since the last final, but that’s part of the game,” he said.
“If these referees are there, it’s because they’re up to the level of the competition.”
Refereeing performances have come under scrutiny at this summer’s tournament, with French official Francois Letexier’s display in the last-16 game between Argentina and Egypt criticised by the north African media.
Deschamps could not resist a jibe back at those critics, adding: “Let’s hope our (officials) are as good as Monsieur Letexier was.”
Score prediction
16:30 , Alex Young
This is a tough game for France, potentially their toughest test to date as Morocco, technically, are unbeaten in their last 34 matches across all competitions.
However, France were victorious when the sides met in the 2022 semi-final and we think history will repeat itself with the Atlas Lions failing to avenge that loss.
France to win, 2-0.
Early Morocco team news
16:00 , Alex Young
Morocco, meanwhile, are sweating over the fitness of leading scorer Ismael Saibari after he was forced off with a muscular injury during the first half against Canada.
Reports claim the knock is not as serious as first feared, though it’s unclear if he will be fit enough to face France. Soufiane Rahimi came off the bench to score in the last-16 win and could do the same if the new Bayern Munich forward can’t feature from the start.
Morocco squad
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajou, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Chadi Riad, Issa Diop, Anass Salah-Eddine, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Redouane Halhal, Youssef Belammari, Marwane Saadane
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Neil El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Samir El Mourabet, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Gessime Yassine
Forwards: Ismael Saibari, Brahim Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Soufiane Rahimi, Chemsdine Talbi, Ayoube Amaimouni, Amine Sbai
Early France team news
15:30 , Alex Young
Didier Deschamps will make a late decision on Aurelien Tchouameni after a thigh injury kept him out of the 1-0 win over Paraguay in the last-16.
If fit, the midfielder could replace Manu Kone. Elsewhere, Desire Doue could be rewarded for his impact off the bench last time out, potentially replacing Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target Bradley Barcola.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Maxence Lacroix, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamenaco
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante, Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe, Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Marcus Thuram
Where to watch France vs Morocco for FREE
15:00 , Alex Young
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on ITV1, with coverage starting at 8pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via the ITVX app or the ITV website.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer / ITVX app and their websites.
14:45 , Alex Young
France have been the standout team at this summer’s expanded World Cup, topping Group I with an 100 percent winning record before comfortably beating Sweden in the round of 32.
The last-16 battle with Paraguay proved a difficult barrier to overcome, though Kylian Mbappe eventually found the breakthrough from the penalty spot to set up a rematch from the semi-final showdown in Qatar four years ago.
Morocco were the first team through to 2026 World Cup quarter-final after beating co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the last-16.
After seeing Egypt eliminated by Argentina in controversial fashion, the Atlas Lions are now Africa’s only representatives in North America and are seeking to reach back-to-back World Cup semi-finals.
The winners will face the victors of the Spain vs Belgium tie.
France vs Morocco LIVE
14:29 , Alex Young
Good afternoon and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the World Cup quarter-final between France and Morocco.
Kick-off is at 9pm BST. Stick with us.
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