France vs Morocco Quarterfinal Preview July 9 - Mbappe, Hakimi, Saibari Out in Boston
France face Morocco in the World Cup 2026 quarterfinal on July 9 at Boston Stadium. Mbappe vs Hakimi, Saibari ruled out, Opta picks France. Preview and lineups.
France vs Morocco - July 9, 2026, Boston Stadium, Foxborough. The World Cup quarterfinals start with the rematch everyone expected and nobody can ignore.
Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi - club teammates at PSG, national-team rivals tonight. France are favourites. Morocco are African champions and the team that shocked the world in Qatar 2022.
France vs Morocco - quick facts
| France | Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | July 9, 2026 | July 9, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 8:00 PM GMT / 4:00 PM ET | Same |
| Stadium | Boston Stadium, Foxborough | Same |
| Stage | Quarterfinal (Match 97) | Quarterfinal |
| Path here | Beat Paraguay 1-0 (R16) | Beat Canada 3-0 (R16) |
| Star | Mbappe (3 goals) | Hakimi (4 assists) |
| Blow | None major | Saibari ruled out |
Referee: Facundo Tello. VAR: Darío Herrera.
How they got here
France - perfect group, narrow knockout
France won Group I with 9 points - wins over Norway, Senegal, and Iraq.
Knockout path:
- Round of 32: Sweden 3-0
- Round of 16: Paraguay 1-0 - tight, professional, not flashy
Didier Deschamps has depth everywhere. Mbappe leads with 3 goals. France have not lost a game at this tournament.
Morocco - penalties, then a statement
Morocco finished second in Group C behind Brazil - beat Scotland and Haiti, drew with Brazil.
Knockout path:
- Round of 32: Netherlands 2-2 - won 3-2 on penalties (drama)
- Round of 16: Canada 3-0 - the best performance of their tournament
Hakimi has 4 assists - tied for the tournament lead. Néstor Lorenzo has built a team that defends in blocks and kills you on the break.
Saibari out - Morocco’s big loss
Abde Ezzalzouli Saibari scored in all three group games. He buried the winning penalty against the Netherlands. He is ruled out of the quarterfinal.
That hurts. Saibari was the player who gave Morocco unpredictability in the final third. Without him, Lorenzo may lean on Amrabat, Bounou, and width from Hakimi and Munir.
The matchups to watch
Mbappe vs Hakimi Friends in Paris. Enemies for 90 minutes. Hakimi knows Mbappe’s habits better than any defender on the planet. Mbappe knows how to exploit space behind Morocco’s wing-backs.
France midfield vs Morocco press Tchouameni, Camavinga, Griezmann - can they break Morocco’s low block without forcing the game?
Set pieces Morocco scored from dead balls against Canada. France conceded few chances all tournament - but one corner can change a knockout.
Opta and history
Opta Supercomputer:
- France win in 90 minutes: 61.7%
- Morocco win: 16.2%
- Extra time / penalties: 22.1%
Head-to-head at World Cups: France beat Morocco 2-0 in the 2022 semi-final in Qatar. Overall: France 4 wins, 2 draws in 6 meetings.
Morocco want revenge. France want a semi-final in Dallas.
Who plays the winner?
Spain vs Belgium quarterfinal is July 10 in Los Angeles. The winner of France-Morocco faces that victor in the semi-final in Dallas on July 14.
FAQ
What time is France vs Morocco? July 9, 2026 - 8:00 PM GMT / 4:00 PM ET / 20:00 local in Boston.
Is Saibari playing? No. Saibari is ruled out for the quarterfinal.
Who is favourite? France - 61.7% win chance per Opta.
Where to watch? FOX in the US, beIN in France and Morocco.
In short
- Quarterfinal opener - Boston, July 9
- Mbappe vs Hakimi - clubmates, rivals tonight
- Saibari out - big blow for Morocco
- France favourites - Morocco have knockout pedigree
- Winner meets Spain or Belgium in Dallas
France want another final. Morocco want another miracle. Boston gets the first quarterfinal of World Cup 2026.