FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — France advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday, as Kylian Mbappe recovered from an early penalty miss to score before Ousmane Dembele sealed the win in the second half, extending Les Bleus' run to a third consecutive World Cup semi-final.
France dominated possession for long stretches of the quarter-final but were frustrated before halftime when Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Mbappe's penalty after the French captain was brought down in the area. Morocco's disciplined defensive display kept the score level through the opening 45 minutes despite sustained French pressure.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark when Mbappe curled a right-footed effort beyond Bounou after creating space at the edge of the penalty area. The goal restored France's momentum and moved the forward level in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot, according to official match reports.
France doubled their advantage six minutes later when Dembele finished a move initiated by Mbappe, giving Didier Deschamps' side a comfortable cushion they maintained through the closing stages. Morocco struggled to create clear scoring opportunities as France's defence limited the Atlas Lions' attacking threat.
Deschamps praised his team's composure after the match, saying France had remained united despite the missed penalty and other wasted opportunities in the first half.
"We never lost belief," Deschamps said. "The players stayed disciplined and continued to play our game."
The result ended another impressive World Cup campaign for Morocco, who became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals in 2022 and returned to the quarter-finals in the expanded 2026 tournament after eliminating the Netherlands and Canada in the knockout rounds.
France, champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, will face the winner of the quarter-final between Spain and Belgium in Dallas on July 14 for a place in the World Cup final. FIFA's official tournament schedule lists the semi-final for Bastille Day, with Deschamps urging his players to remain focused despite the occasion.
