France meet Morocco in the first quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a rematch of the 2022 semifinal. Kylian Mbappé leads an unbeaten France into Boston chasing another title, while Morocco aims for a monumental upset. Here’s exactly when, where, and how to watch.

Key Takeaways

• France vs Morocco kicks off Thursday, July 9, at 4:00 p.m. ET
• The match is at Boston’s stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
• In the US, it airs on FOX and streams on FOX One and Fubo
• It’s a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinal France won 2-0
• Mbappé has seven goals, second in the Golden Boot race

When and Where

Here are the essentials.

France vs Morocco is Match 97, the first of four quarterfinals, kicking off Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT.

The venue is in New England. The game is played at the Boston-area stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, one of the 16 host cities spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico for this first three-nation World Cup.

For international viewers, the kickoff translates across time zones.

It starts at 9:00 p.m. BST in the UK and 6:00 a.m. AEST on Friday, July 10, in Australia, so set alarms accordingly if you’re watching from afar.

How to Watch in the US

American viewers have several routes. The match will be broadcast on FOX in the United States, with streaming available through Fox’s own platforms.

Cord-cutters have options too. All four World Cup quarterfinals stream live and on demand on FOX One and the FOX Sports App, and the game is also available on Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers to stream FOX and 100-plus channels without cable.

Spanish-language coverage is covered as well. Telemundo will stream every match live on Peacock and the Telemundo app, giving bilingual households a full alternative feed.

How to Watch Internationally

Coverage is broad and often free abroad. In the UK, the match airs free on ITV1 and ITVX, though you’ll need a valid TV license and UK postcode to set up an account.

Other major markets have their own carriers. In Canada, TSN and free-to-air CTV are broadcasting the game, with streaming via TSN+ (around CA$8 per month). In Australia, SBS On Demand is showing every tournament match free.

Traveling can complicate access. If you’re abroad and your home stream is geo-blocked, a VPN can help you reconnect to your usual service, a common workaround for viewers away from their home country.

The Storyline: A 2022 Rematch

This fixture carries history. It’s a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinal, when France ended Morocco’s historic run with a 2-0 victory, denying the first African side ever to reach a World Cup semifinal.

France arrive in ominous form. Didier Deschamps’ side have won all five of their matches in the tournament, scoring 14 goals and conceding just two, and are the only remaining team to have won every game inside 90 minutes.

Morocco’s path has been grittier but impressive. The Atlas Lions needed a penalty shootout to beat the Netherlands earlier in the knockouts, then hammered co-host Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 behind a brace from Azzedine Ounahi and a stoppage-time strike from Soufiane Rahimi.

France’s recent win was hard-fought, not pretty. Les Bleus ground out a 1-0 victory over a stubborn Paraguay in the last 16, sealed by a Mbappé penalty, proof they can win ugly as well as beautifully.

The Matchup That Decides It: Mbappé vs. Hakimi

One duel looms over the tactics. Kylian Mbappé against Achraf Hakimi is the pressure point that decides this quarterfinal, pitting France’s talisman against Morocco’s marauding right-back.

Mbappé has been France’s engine. He has driven seven of France’s 14 goals himself while leading the team in shots on target and chances created, and the French attack keeps turning back to him whenever games tighten up.

Hakimi is no mere defender in this battle. He has created 12 chances in the tournament and is one of Morocco’s best transition weapons, so if France pin him back for 90 minutes, Morocco loses a key attacking outlet, but if he gets forward freely, France must defend the space he leaves.

The Golden Boot adds a subplot. Mbappé’s seven goals leave him tied for second with Erling Haaland, one behind leader Lionel Messi, so he has personal silverware to chase alongside the trophy.

What to Watch For

Team news could tilt the balance. France boast enormous attacking depth with Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise alongside Mbappé, while Morocco are sweating on the fitness of Ismael Saibari (hamstring) and center-back Chadi Riad.

There’s a clear early tell to track. Watch the first few times France isolate Mbappé wide, as that will reveal whether Morocco can contain him without breaking the rest of their defensive shape.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. France chase another title behind an unbeaten run, while Morocco hunt the kind of upset that would avenge 2022 and push Africa’s last remaining side into the semifinals. Kickoff is 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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