​Morocco prepare to face France at Boston Stadium in a World Cup quarter-final on Thursday evening, aiming to go further than their historic 2022 route which saw them reach the semi-finals. Mohamed Ouahbi’s side arrive in this knockout clash on the back of an unbeaten 34-match run, having edged past the Netherlands on penalties and thrashed Canada 3-0 to reach this stage. France, meanwhile, halted Morocco’s Qatar 2022 journey with a 2-0 victory in the semi-finals. Across six previous meetings, Morocco have yet to defeat France, a run they will look to end without their leading scorer.
Ismael Saibari will not feature. Ouahbi confirmed at Wednesday’s pre-match briefing that the Bayern Munich forward remains sidelined by the hamstring injury he picked up in the 22nd minute against Canada. Saibari was a pivotal figure in the group stage, contributing three goals and delivering the decisive penalty in the shootout win over the Netherlands. His absence is a significant blow that alters the attacking dynamic of the side.
Chadi Riad is another potential casualty. The centre-back did not play against Canada due to a knee issue, and his availability for Thursday is still in doubt. Redouane Halhal came on for Canada and is expected to start should Riad be unavailable. Several Moroccan players head into the fixture with a yellow card risk: Hakimi, Diop, Halhal and Bilal El Khannouss would face suspension for a booking if they pick one up in this match, potentially ruling them out of a possible semi-final.
In Saibari’s absence, Soufiane Rahimi steps into a central striking role. The 30-year-old replaced Saibari after 22 minutes against Canada and securing the stoppage-time goal that sealed a 3-0 win. Rahimi offers a different physical profile to Saibari—less explosively dynamic in behind the defense, but more effective inside the box. Brahim Díaz remains in his wide-right position, tucking in to allow Achraf Hakimi to push higher up the flank. Díaz, who has already recorded four assists at this World Cup—the African record for a single tournament—continues to play a key role.
Azzedine Ounahi keeps his place in the number ten role behind the focal point of the attack, having netted twice against Canada. Bilal El Khannouss provides pace and creativity from the left side, while the midfield duo of Neil El Aynaoui and Ayyoub Bouaddi continues as the double pivot. Yassine Bounou remains between the posts for Morocco.
Possible lineup (4-2-3-1): Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Bouaddi; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss; Rahimi.
The quarter-final is scheduled to kick off at 21:00 BST on Thursday, 9 July 2026. The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on ITV1, ITVX and STV. For further context, see France vs Morocco – predicted lineup and team news.
As the campaign moves into this decisive stage, all eyes will be on whether Morocco can break their winless streak against France and extend their remarkable run of form without some of their most influential players. The clash at Boston Stadium promises to be a test of resilience for Ouahbi’s men as they chase a place in the semi-finals and a potential continuation of their extraordinary World Cup narrative.