The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals began with a match between France and Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Boston on Thursday (July 9). France emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, marking their third consecutive World Cup semifinal appearance. This victory mirrored their previous 2-0 win against Morocco in the 2022 semifinals.
Kylian Mbappé continued his impressive form, scoring one of the goals and narrowly missing a penalty. Despite a minor injury scare, Mbappé celebrated with his team post-match, indicating he should be fit for the semifinals. Ousmane Dembélé added the second goal, securing France’s place in the next round.
Morocco, the first African nation to reach consecutive World Cup quarterfinals, struggled to break through France’s defense. Despite a strong performance from their goalkeeper, Yassine “Bono” Bounou, Morocco couldn’t find the net.
The quarterfinals will continue on Friday (July 10) with a clash between Spain and Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. On Saturday (July 11), Norway will face England in Miami, and Argentina will play Switzerland in Kansas City.
France will await the winner of the Spain-Belgium match for their semifinal opponent. As the tournament progresses, all eyes remain on the Golden Boot race, where Mbappé and Lionel Messi are tied with eight goals each.
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