Morocco will compete in its seventh World Cup in 2026 and has established itself as one of the African teams with the greatest prominence in the history of the tournament.
His World Cup debut came in Mexico 1970, where he was part of a group with West Germany, Peru and Bulgaria. Although he did not manage to advance, that participation marked the beginning of his journey in the greatest football event.
The first big page came in Mexico 1986, when Morocco won its group and became the first African team to reach the round of 16 of a World Cup. In that round they were eliminated by West Germany, but their performance opened a new path for football on the continent.
In the editions of the United States 1994, France 1998 and Russia 2018, the Atlas Lions competed with intensity, although they did not manage to overcome the group stage.
The big leap came in Qatar 2022. Morocco made history by becoming the first African team to compete in the World Cup semi-finals, after eliminating Spain and Portugal. The team finished in fourth place, the best performance by an African team in the history of the competition.
In the 2026 World Cup, Morocco once again demonstrated its competitive ability by eliminating the Netherlands in the penalty shootout in the round of 32. The victory confirmed the continuity of a process that has turned the team led by Mohamed Ouahbi into one of the leaders of African and Arab football.
From Mexico 1986 to Qatar 2022 and now to the 2026 World Cup, Morocco has built a trajectory marked by historical milestones. He first paved the way for Africa by reaching the round of 16; Then he broke the continental ceiling with his presence in the semifinals and, now, he keeps alive the dream of continuing to make history in the World Cup.