New Delhi: France booked its place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi finals with a composed 2-0 victory over Morocco, becoming the first French side to reach the final four in three consecutive World Cups.
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele delivered the decisive moments in the second half as Didier Deschamps’ team secured a comfortable win after dominating proceedings at Gillette Stadium near Boston. France will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium in Arlington on Tuesday.
Despite controlling possession throughout the first half, France failed to capitalise on an early opportunity after Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Mbappe’s penalty following a lengthy VAR review. The deadlock was finally broken in the 60th minute when Mbappe curled a superb strike into the far corner for his eighth goal of the tournament.
Just six minutes later, Mbappe turned provider, setting up Dembele, who calmly slotted home to double France’s advantage and effectively seal the contest. Morocco struggled to trouble the French defence, managing its first shot on target only in the closing stages of the match.
France suffered a brief injury scare when Mbappe appeared to hurt his ankle during the second half. The captain received treatment twice before being substituted in the 77th minute. However, he later walked comfortably around the stadium and interacted with supporters after the final whistle, offering encouraging signs that the issue may not be serious ahead of the semifinals.
Dembele expressed satisfaction with his growing influence in the tournament but admitted there was still room for improvement. He said he was gaining confidence with every match and praised the team’s collective performance while stressing that France remains fully focused on winning the World Cup.
Elsewhere in the tournament, defending champions Argentina will meet Switzerland in the quarterfinals, while England faces Norway in another last eight clash. The Argentina match has drawn attention following refereeing controversy in the previous round, with FIFA strongly rejecting allegations of bias and reaffirming confidence in the integrity of its match officials.
France now stands just one victory away from a third consecutive World Cup final as Mbappe and his teammates continue their pursuit of another global title.
