France v Morocco prediction, lineups & tips: World Cup 2026 quarter-final

Four years ago in Qatar, France ended Morocco's remarkable run to the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory that stung the Atlas Lions and half a continent with it. Now Walid Regragui's side have the chance to settle the account at the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final stage, with the two nations meeting again at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday evening.

France have been the tournament's most complete side. Didier Deschamps' men have won all five matches in the United States, scoring 14 goals and conceding just two. They swatted aside Senegal, Iraq, Norway and Sweden in the group stage before a disciplined 1-0 win over Paraguay in the last 16. With Kylian Mbappé at 27 and operating at the peak of his powers, seven goals and two assists in five appearances, France have the look of a side peaking at the right moment. Deschamps said of Morocco on Wednesday: "They are not here by accident. It's a matchup between two teams that like to have the ball, like to attack, and like to score goals."

Morocco's path here has been less emphatic but no less tactically coherent. Regragui's side drew with Brazil and the Netherlands in the group stage, then beat Scotland and Haiti before producing a commanding 3-0 win over Canada in Houston in the round of 16. That blend of grit against elite opposition and clinical finishing when space opens up is exactly the profile that makes them dangerous here. Morocco have taken five penalties at this tournament, scoring three, a 60% conversion rate that will sit in the background if Thursday evening reaches a shootout.

France average 2.8 goals per game at this World Cup and have kept clean sheets in three of their five matches. Their expected goals against sits at 0.73 per game, which tells you how little they have been threatened. Morocco average 2.0 goals per game, but their xG for drops to 1.67; they have been efficient rather than dominant, relying on moments of individual quality from Brahim Diaz and Azzedine Ounahi. France average 60.6% possession across their last five matches; Morocco 60.4%, which makes this a rare quarter-final in which both sides will genuinely compete to control the ball rather than sitting off.

France have deployed a 4-2-3-1 in all five of their matches at this World Cup and Deschamps has no reason to change. Tchouaméni's absence is the one meaningful disruption; Camavinga is the most likely direct replacement at the base of midfield, with Zaïre-Emery handed a start alongside him. Morocco also operate in a 4-2-3-1, with Sofyan Amrabat and Ounahi providing energy through the centre. Saibari's fitness will determine whether Regragui names an unchanged attack or shuffles his forward line.

France: Maignan; Clauss, Upamecano, Konaté, T Hernandez; Camavinga, Zaïre-Emery; Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé; Giroud

Morocco: Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Diop, Mazraoui; Amrabat, Ounahi; Ziyech, Diaz, Boufal; En-Nesyri

France v Morocco kicks off at 21:00 BST on Thursday, 9 July 2026 at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. The match is broadcast live in the UK on ITV 1, with a free stream available via ITVX.