Morocco will look to secure their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, in a tough match against the Netherlands. A heavyweight Round of 32 showdown awaits at the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco prepare to test themselves against a Netherlands side that cruised through Group F without much resistance. For the Africans, this represents a fresh chance to prove their run to the Qatar 2022 semifinals was no fluke.
The Atlas Lions sit at No.6 in the latest FIFA World Rankings, edging out their upcoming opponent by a single spot. Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad had to work for their place in the knockouts, opening Group C with a gritty 1-1 stalemate against Brazil before grinding out a 1-0 win over Scotland and finishing the job with a 4-2 victory against Haiti.
That tally of seven points was enough for second in the group, with only goal difference separating them from a Brazilian side that finished above them.
Standing in their way is the Netherlands ranked just behind at No. 7, and arriving with considerably more attacking firepower on display. Ronald Koeman’s group stumbled out of the gate with a 2-2 draw against Japan, but quickly found their rhythm, blowing past Sweden 5-1 and closing out their campaign with a 3-1 win over Tunisia.
يــــــوم الــمــبــاراة 🏟️منتخبنا الوطني يواجه هولندا في دور الـ32 من كأس العالم 2026 🏆𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮Our National Team faces the Netherlands 🇳🇱 in the #FIFAWorldCup Round of 32⏰ | Tuesday, 2AM 🇲🇦 – Monday, 7PM 🇲🇽#DimaMaghrib pic.twitter.com/2MqKSSBStP— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) June 29, 2026
Morocco eyeing redemption and another deep run
Few nations have captured global attention quite like Morocco did during their unforgettable march through Qatar 2022, becoming the first team from Africa to ever reach a World Cup semifinal.
Along the way, they dismantled some of Europe’s biggest names, eliminating Belgium, Spain, and Portugal in succession before their dream run was finally halted by France, with a fourth-place finish following defeat to Croatia in the third-place playoff.
That golden generation has only grown stronger since. Achraf Hakimi remains a defensive cornerstone, while breakout talent Ismael Saibari, already with three goals to his name through the group stage, gives Morocco a sharper attacking edge than the side that shocked the world four years ago.