France became the first team to book a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals on Thursday, defeating Morocco 2-0 to end the North African side’s impressive tournament run.
After a goalless first half in Boston, Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock in the 60th minute with a powerful finish past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The goal was Mbappe’s eighth of the tournament and his 20th overall in World Cup competition.
Just six minutes later, Mbappe turned provider, flicking the ball into the path of Ousmane Dembele, who raced clear of the Moroccan defence and calmly doubled France’s lead.
Mbappe had earlier seen a first-half penalty saved by Bounou after a lengthy VAR review, while Morocco struggled to create clear chances throughout the match despite a late push.
France, who also defeated Morocco 2-0 in the 2022 World Cup semifinals, will face either Spain or Belgium in Tuesday’s semifinal.