Morocco just became the first team to punch its ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, dismantling Canada 3-0 on July 4. Now the Atlas Lions are staring down a potential rematch with France, the team that ended their fairy-tale run four years ago.
What happened on the pitch
Azzedine Ounahi was the story. The midfielder netted twice against Canada, orchestrating a performance that sent the host nation packing far earlier than anyone expected.
Morocco’s 3-0 victory was comprehensive, not a squeaker. Canada, playing on home soil as one of the tournament’s co-hosts, exits with the kind of disappointment that tends to linger.
For Morocco, this is a continuation of something that started in Qatar in 2022. That year, they became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, captivating a global audience before falling 2-0 to France.
