Morocco are looking to make history once more at the 2026 World Cup.
Four years ago, Morocco became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals. They’re now one win away from repeating that feat. It’s a remarkable stat, considering the Atlas Lions have only made it out of the World Cup group stages three times.
Morocco were placed in an interesting group at the World Cup, alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti. After a draw with Brazil in their opening match, Morocco won their next two games to finish second. They only trailed Brazil on goal difference.
The reward for reaching the knockout stages was a last-32 tie against the Netherlands, a tricky game for the Atlas Lions. Morocco looked close to be going out too, before Issa Diop’s injury-time equaliser. They eventually took the game to penalties, knocking the Oranje out. Morocco beat co-hosts Canada 3-0 in the last-16, though the match was less comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Get all the latest Morocco stats as the tournament unfolds plus the latest squad, manager and fixture information for the African side here.
Morocco World Cup 2026 route to the final
Morocco are another step closer to a dream World Cup final after their win over Canada. They will face France in the quarter-finals on 9th July. Should Morocco win that game, they’ll take on either Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals.
The World Cup Final is scheduled for 19th July.
READ MORE: Get the latest Morocco World Cup 2026 outright odds here
Morocco World Cup 2026 Stats
Morocco’s key players for World Cup 2026
Morocco top World Cup Golden Boot contender: Ismael Saibari
- Key stat: Ismael Saibari has scored three goals in five games at the 2026 World Cup.
What a season Ismael Saibari is having. He scored 15 goals in the Eredivisie from a No.10 position for PSV, helping his side to the title. It was a return that saw him moved further forward for Morocco, leading the line in four of their five World Cup games. Saibari has repaid the faith with three goals so far, more than any other Morocco player. But they’ll be sweating a little bit on his fitness, having picked up an injury against Canada.
Morocco primary playmaker: Achraf Hakimi
- Key stat: Achraf Hakimi has created more chances than any other Morocco player at the 2026 World Cup.
Achraf Hakimi is at the heart of everything this Morocco creates. In fact, he’s at the heart of everything, leading Morocco with his 13 shots. Hakimi has bettered that in terms of chances created, with 15 at the World Cup so far. That’s almost double the next-most creative players, with Azzedine Ounahi and Brahim Diaz both creating eight chances. Hakimi has created three big chances too, translating to two assists. We should be surprised. Hakimi saves his best form for the biggest games, for both club and country.
Morocco card magnets & top tacklers: Neil El Aynaoui
- Key stat: Neil El Aynaoui has made 16 tackles and committed 11 fouls at the World Cup so far.
Neil El Aynaoui only made his Moroccan debut in September 2025. But he’s quickly become a must-start for the Atlas Lions at the base of their midfield. Not much has got past the 25-year-old this summer, whether he stops moves legally or illegally. El Aynaoui leads Morocco for his 16 tackles, three more than Noussair Mazraoui. But he also sits in the top five at the World Cup overall for his 11 fouls, with only two players committing more. Surprisingly, though, he is yet to receive a yellow card.
Morocco rising star: Ayyoub Bouaddi
Ayyoub Bouaddi hadn’t played for Morroco before May. He had played for France at youth levels before switching allegiance to Morocco ahead of the World Cup. Still only 18, Bouaddi has started four of Morocco’s five games at the World Cup so far — rested for the final group stage match against Haiti. In fact, that’s the only game Bouaddi hasn’t started since his Morocco debut — with seven appearances so far.
STAND-OUT STAT: Morocco’s fourth place in 2022 marked the highest finish by any African nation in the tournament’s history.
Morocco’s set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz
- Free kicks: Achraf Hakimi
- Corners: Achraf Hakimi
Morocco tactical analysis and formation
Morocco team stats (average per game at World Cup 2026):
- Corners: 5.0
- Shots on target: 5.0
- Shots on target conceded: 2.4
- Offsides: 1.8
Mohamed Ouahbi has been pretty set with his team at the World Cup so far, though it including some initial big calls. Perhaps the biggest was to start Ismael Saibari as the striker, ahead of Ayoub El Kaabi and Soufiane Rahimi. And that was after snubbing Youssef En-Nesyri altogether. Bilal El Khannouss and Brahim Diaz have been the favoured starters on the wings, with Azzedine Ounahi through the middle.
The other big call was to form a double pivot of Neil El Aynaoui and Ayyoub Bouaddi — two players who have made their debut within the past year. But it’s worked. They’ve provided an excellent shield for the Moroccan defence, which has been set up as expected.
Get the latest Morocco World Cup goals, assists, shots, passes and tackle stats here
Morocco manager analysis
Morocco were forced into a managerial change not long before the tournament with Walid Regragui stepping down from the job in March 2026.
An adaptable and likeable presence, Regragui took the Atlas Lions to the semi-final stage of the last World Cup and were awarded the 2025 Afcon championship in controversial circumstances.
The 50-year-old was replaced by former U23 head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. Morocco appeared to be looking for stability and continuity with the hire but in reality, the Ouahabi remains something of an unknown.
The Belgian-born coach has spent the majority of his career with Anderlecht’s youth teams before taking the Morocco U20 job in 2022 and being promoted to the U23 position last year – but he was never a professional player and this is his first role as head coach of a first team.
The stats below are from his current spell in charge of the team.
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Ouahbi | Morocco | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 60% |
Morocco World Cup FAQs
Have Morocco ever won the World Cup?
No, Morocco have never won the World Cup. Their 2022 semi-final finish was the best finish of any African side in history and also of any Arab side in history.
Where did Morocco finish in the last World Cup?
Morocco reached semi-finals of the last World Cup, beating Portugal and Spain in the knockout stages before losing 2-0 to France. They lost the third place play-off to Croatia by a 2-1 scoreline.
Who will be Morocco captain at the World Cup?
Achraf Hakimi is the current captain of the Moroccan national team.
Who is Morocco’s top scorer at World Cups?
Youssef En-Nesyri scored three goals across the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, moving him clear of any Morocco player at the time. But he has been equalled by Ismael Saibiri, who has scored three goals in 2026 so far.
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