Morocco have transformed themselves into one of the most formidable footballing nations on the planet. The Atlas Lions arrived at the 2022 World Cup as relative outsiders and left as the tournament’s greatest story – the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals.
Four years on they arrive in North America ranked eighth in the world and carrying genuine ambitions of going further than ever before.
Mohamed Ouahbi took over as head coach in March 2026 following Walid Regragui’s resignation – his first senior role after leading Morocco’s U20 side to the 2025 U20 World Cup title, beating Argentina 2-0 in the final.
How they got there
Morocco’s qualifying campaign was as dominant as any nation in the world. The Atlas Lions won all eight of their CAF Group E matches without dropping a single point – scoring 22 goals and conceding just twice. They finished 13 points ahead of second-placed Niger.
Away from qualifying, Morocco were also awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title after CAF overturned the final result following Senegal’s controversial walk-off – giving the Atlas Lions their first continental title since 1976.
Best ever World Cup finish
Morocco’s 2022 semi-final run in Qatar remains the greatest achievement by any African nation in World Cup history. They eliminated Belgium, Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages before losing to France in the semi-finals.
A third-place play-off defeat to Croatia followed. Before 2022, their best performance had been reaching the Round of 16 in 1986 – the first African team to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup.
Iconic moments
The 2022 quarter-final victory over Portugal – ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dreams – remains the defining moment of Moroccan football history.
Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering header settled the tie and sparked extraordinary scenes across Morocco and the Arab world. The image of players prostrating in prayer on the pitch after each knockout victory became one of the enduring images of that tournament.
Players to watch
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain) – Morocco’s captain and talisman. The 27-year-old right back has 95 international caps and is widely considered one of the best full-backs in the world.
A back-to-back Champions League winner with PSG following their Budapest triumph over Arsenal, Hakimi combines defensive solidity with devastating attacking instincts – his overlapping runs and crossing ability are central to everything Morocco do going forward.
Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid) – Born in Malaga to Moroccan parents, Diaz chose Morocco over Spain and has become their most important attacking player. He finished as the top scorer at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with five goals and arrives at the World Cup as Morocco’s most creative and dangerous threat going forward.
Fixtures
14 Jun: Brazil vs Morocco – MetLife Stadium, New Jersey – 00:00 SAST
20 Jun: Scotland vs Morocco – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough – 00:00 SAST
25 Jun: Morocco vs Haiti – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 00:00 SAST
Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images
