The first quarterfinal of the 2026 World Cup pits the tournament favorite against an African upstart trying to replicate the history it made four years ago. France is heavily favored to get by Morocco, but both teams have been here before.France has looked like the most dominant team at this World Cup and is on track to make a third straight World Cup final. Morocco is trying to recreate its surprise run to the semifinals from Qatar.Here’s a look at the storylines and odds for the match plus picks from our betting staff.The 4 players dominating the World Cup Golden Boot raceDean JonesFrance-MoroccoTime: 4 p.m. ETTV: Fox (English), Telemundo (Spanish)Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.The attacking trio of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise has been a force for France. Opposing defenses can’t throw numbers on one player, or even two. They’re all causing major problems.Brazil wasn’t in vintage form and was eliminated. France has taken its place as the must-see team that is wowing crowds with regularity.Last round, Paraguay pulled every trick it had up its sleeve to stay competitive with France, but couldn’t hold off the onslaught for 90 minutes. The 1-0 French win wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as Les Bleus’ other performances have been, but it showed this team can win even when the goals aren’t flying in with ease.Morocco may try something similar to Paraguay, but it is a far more capable team. The Atlas Lions made a run to the semifinals in 2022 based on playing solid defense and countering. Inviting pressure against this French team does not sound like a formula for success. Paraguay gave up any idea of trying to play with France and still couldn’t hold out.