​No, Morocco has never won a World Cup. The Atlas Lions have never even reached the final, but no African nation has come closer. Morocco stunned the soccer world in 2022, advancing to the semifinals by knocking off Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way, becoming the first African or Arab nation to reach that stage. France ended the magical run with a 2-0 defeat, and Croatia defeated them 2-1 in the third-place game. That fourth-place finish remains the best ever by an African team.
This is Morocco’s seventh World Cup appearance, with their first in 1970. The Atlas Lions have been making history along the way. They won their group in 1986, another first for an African nation, before West Germany—eventual finalists—advanced past them 1-0 in the round of 16.
The 2026 edition could be Morocco’s strongest team yet. As the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, they sit sixth in the world rankings, ahead of Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands, and they have not lost a match in 34 games—the longest unbeaten streak of any team in the tournament.
One of the standout stars of the 2026 World Cup has been Kylian Mbappé, whose form for France has been unstoppable. These images capture some of his greatest moments on the pitch, including his run past Iraq’s Zaid Ismael during the Group I matchup in Philadelphia on June 22, 2026. France now awaits again at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, at 4 p.m. on Thursday for a rematch of the 2022 semifinal. France has won four of the six meetings between the two teams, while Morocco’s sole victory came in a 1998 penalty shootout; the Atlas Lions have never beaten France in 90 minutes.
If Morocco can win on Thursday, they would be one step closer to a place no African team has ever reached. This pursuit continues to captivate fans and reframe what is possible for African football on the world stage. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Has Morocco ever won a World Cup? Atlas Lion history explained for better SEO.