World Cup: Prediction of the France and Morocco match, match schedule, Hakimi vs. Mbappe competition | World Cup 2026 news

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the Quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup The match begins with a match between France and Morocco, with the Atlas Lions looking to avenge their 2022 semi-final defeat and book a place in the semi-finals.

France enters the competition as the favorite, but Morocco has already proven its ability to do so Challenge the best in the world on the biggest stage.

From Opta predictions and the latest match details to the renewed rivalry between Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi, here’s what you need to know:

What is the full program for Friday’s match?

• France against Morocco Thursday, July 9, 4pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, USA

What is the expectation?

The semi-final match between France and Morocco in Qatar in 2022 marked the first ever competitive meeting between the two countries. On that occasion, Theo Hernandez and Randall Kolo Mwani scored in a 2-0 victory for France, ending the Atlas Lions’ remarkable World Cup journey.

The two teams met five other times, all in friendly matches, and France maintained their unbeaten record. The French team won three of those matches, while the remaining two matches ended in draws.

According to supercomputer Opta, France is the clear favorite to win. Through 25,000 pre-match simulations, the French team ranked first with 61.7% of the results.

Morocco had a 16.2% chance of pulling off an upset by beating France within 90 minutes, while 22.1% of the simulations ended in a draw, meaning extra time, and possibly penalties, would be needed to decide the winner.

What other topics are being discussed?

France and Morocco match again

Highly anticipated France vs Morocco in the World Cup The quarter-final rematch has fans excited about the battle on the field.

Four years on, France are still favorites to win, but Morocco are now also considered real World Cup favorites, with the Atlas Lions firmly established as a force in world football.

Morocco coach Mohamed Wehbe said after his team’s 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16: “We are no longer a surprise today, and this is a source of great pride.”

“I think this is just the beginning, and I hope we will continue to produce this type of racing for many years.”

Wehbe insists that revenge against France is not Morocco’s main motivation.

He added: “We want to go as far as possible and make our people proud.”

Clash of friends

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has made it clear that friendships will be put aside when the Atlas Lions face France in the upcoming World Cup quarter-finals, insisting that what happens on the pitch is separate from relationships off it.

These comments came after Moroccan comedian Memo Lazraq shared a light-hearted video clip on Instagram mocking Hakimi’s close friendship with France captain Kylian Mbappe. As his two international colleagues prepared to meet in Boston, Al-Azraq jokingly wondered whether Mbappe could truly be considered a true friend.

In the video, the comedian joked that if Mbappe were a real friend, he would have given Hakimi the chance to avenge Morocco’s 2-0 defeat to France in Qatar. He added, speaking forcefully, that true friends are supposed to help each other succeed.

Justin Bieber and more join the World Cup halftime show

Bieber will bring swag to the World Cup stars, Super Bowl style halftime show, yFellow leaders Madonna, Shakira and BTS were the winners on Wednesday, FIFA announced.

Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan bandleader Gustavo Dudamel, and PS22, a choir of elementary school students based in Staten Island, New York, will also perform, with Coldplay joining the latter.

The 11-minute halftime show, hosted by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, will take place during the final away to New York on July 19. The bid will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and football opportunities.

“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement. “I’m grateful to be a part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful to know that it’s already helping expand children’s access to education around the world.”

According to a report by Argentine newspaper La Nacion, US federal prosecutors and FBI agents are examining the financial activities of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in the United States, with investigators reviewing transactions linked to sponsorship revenues and companies that handled payments to the federation.

The investigation is said to focus on how $300 million was moved through the US financial system, and whether any transactions linked to AFA partners may have violated US laws, including potential money laundering or bank fraud concerns.

Businessman Guillermo Tofoni is among those providing information to investigators, while authorities are also considering interviews with former Argentine officials and individuals familiar with the operations of the Argentine Football Association under Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia and Pablo Tovigino.

The Argentine Football Association defended its position, stressing that the investigation does not mean any wrongdoing has been committed, and all parties must be considered innocent unless proven otherwise.

Giuliani defends the White House’s handling of the Iranian team

The White House defended its handling of Iranian visa restrictions during the World Cup, with senior official Andrew Giuliani saying the team’s decision to base itself in Tijuana, Mexico, rather than Tucson, was mutually beneficial.

Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, said cross-border logistics worked smoothly for all parties, despite Iran’s complaints during the group stage and after its exit from the tournament.

The Iranian Football Federation had negotiated at the last minute to move the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico, partly due to uncertainty over whether they would be granted visas to enter the United States.

“It’s important to note that the Iranians chose to go to Tijuana. We were happy with that choice,” Giuliani told reporters on Wednesday. “I think the Mexicans were very happy with that choice. And I think the Iranians, as they said, were very happy with that choice as well.”

“I think what we’ve tried to do here on the White House staff is apply common sense to make sure that athletes can play fair on the field.”