France became the first nation to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals after defeating Morocco 2-0 in the tournament’s opening quarter-final at Boston Stadium.
Captained by Kylian Mbappé, France dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match. The French side applied constant pressure from the opening whistle, forcing Morocco to defend for long periods.
France had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half after being awarded a penalty when Mbappé was fouled inside the penalty area. However, the Moroccan goalkeeper produced an excellent save to deny the French captain, keeping the score level at 0-0 heading into halftime.
The defending champions continued to control the game after the break and were eventually rewarded for their persistence. In the 60th minute, Mbappé broke the deadlock with a clinical finish to put France ahead. Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead, giving France a comfortable advantage and putting the match beyond Morocco’s reach.
Morocco attempted to mount a comeback during the closing stages and created a few promising opportunities. An 82nd-minute free-kick was comfortably handled by the French goalkeeper, while another late attack failed to trouble the scoreboard.
France maintained their lead until the final whistle, sealing a 2-0 victory and booking their place in the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive tournament.
The match also marked another major milestone for Kylian Mbappé. His goal against Morocco took his tally at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to eight goals, making him the first player in World Cup history to score eight goals in two different editions of the tournament.
Mbappé had previously netted eight times during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, further strengthening his place among football’s greatest World Cup performers. With France advancing to the last four, the captain will now look to continue his remarkable form as the defending champions chase another World Cup title.
