Scotland vs Morocco – World Cup 2026 Kickoff Time
Morocco vs Haiti – World Cup 2026 Kickoff Time
Morocco don't arrive at this World Cup as underdogs โ they arrive with unfinished business. Four years ago they became the first African and Arab nation ever to reach a World Cup semifinal, eliminating Spain and Portugal along the way before narrowly losing to France. The Atlas Lions are no longer a surprise. They are ranked eighth in the world, they know how to beat the best, and they arrive in North America with one mission โ go further than 2022.
The big story heading into the tournament is the coaching change. Walid Regragui โ the man who masterminded the 2022 semifinal run โ resigned in March 2026 citing the need for a new vision. His replacement is Mohamed Ouahbi โ a coach with almost no senior management experience but an extraordinary recent record. He led Morocco's U20 side to their first ever U20 World Cup title in Chile in October 2025, beating Argentina 2-0 in the final. Appointed directly from that triumph to lead the senior side with fewer than 100 days to prepare โ that is a bold call by the federation. He did not concede a goal from open play in qualifying. The defensive DNA Regragui built is still very much there.
Captain Achraf Hakimi โ fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League with PSG and now the most decorated African player in history with 19 major team trophies โ leads the side from right back. His fitness is the one concern after a thigh injury in April, but he was included in the squad with medical staff confident in his recovery. Brahim Dรญaz of Real Madrid is the creative heartbeat in attack, supported by Bilal El Khannouss and a midfield anchored by Sofyan Amrabat. Nine players return from the 2022 squad โ the core that knows exactly what knockout football at this level demands.
Group C opens with Morocco vs Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium โ the same stadium hosting the World Cup Final. That is the defining match not just for this group but for Morocco's entire tournament. Brazil are favorites but Morocco beat Spain and Portugal in 2022. They are not going to MetLife to sit back and absorb pressure. Scotland and Haiti complete the group โ both beatable for a side of Morocco's quality.
I have Morocco second behind Brazil. But if they get a result in that opener, everything changes. Morocco are one of the teams I think could go very deep in this tournament โ and this time, nobody will be surprised if they do.