Morocco

Morocco enter World Cup 2026 in Group C, where the early tests are Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti. Morocco have never won the World Cup, but their 2022 semifinal run was historic: the best finish by an African team and a breakthrough moment for Arab football on the global stage. The current squad is shaped around Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, and Youssef En-Nesyri, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. The challenge now is backing up a landmark tournament with another controlled run. Morocco have the defensive discipline and counterattacking punch to make Group C uncomfortable for everyone, including Brazil. If Morocco can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.