World Cup feature: Morocco’s history at the tournament
Morocco celebrate a goal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup match between Canada and Morocco held at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar on 1 December 2022 © Alain Guy Suffo/BackpagePix
Friday May 29, 2026. 13:00
Morocco are set to make their seventh appearance at the World Cup and they will contest Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama.
The Atlas Lions debuted at the global showpiece in 1970. They lost 2-1 to West Germany and 3-0 to Peru, but earned their first-ever World Cup point with a 1-1 draw against Bulgaria in their final group match.
Their breakthrough came in 1986 in Mexico, when they became the first African team to top a World Cup group and reach the knockout stage. Morocco drew 0-0 with Poland and England before beating Portugal 3-1, but West Germany eliminated them in the Round of 16 with a 1-0 defeat thanks to a late goal from Lothar Matthäus.
Morocco failed to progress from the group stage in their next three appearances: they picked up just one point in 1994, recorded a memorable 3-0 win over Scotland but still exited early in 1998, and earned a solitary point (including a draw with Spain) in 2018 in Russia.
The pinnacle arrived at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Coached by Walid Regragui, the Atlas Lions topped a tough group with Belgium, Croatia and Canada (seven points), then produced stunning knockout displays: defeating Spain 3-0 on penalties in the round of 16 and Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals. They became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals, eventually finishing fourth after losses to France and Croatia.
The two-time Africa Cup of Nations champions return with a blend of tactical discipline and attacking talent, carrying the momentum from their historic 2022 campaign.
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