France have reached the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup after a commanding 2-0 win over Morocco in their quarter-final in Boston, confirming their standing as one of the tournament's leading contenders. The result was defined by a dramatic first-half penalty, which Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved from Kylian Mbappe following an unusually long three-minute delay before the kick was taken. Mbappe responded to the setback by later scoring his eighth goal of the tournament, and Ousmane Dembele added a second in the latter stages to settle the tie.

France's performance was underpinned by sustained pressing and tactical discipline, which restricted Morocco to a largely defensive role and denied them any meaningful attacking rhythm. Dominating possession and dictating the tempo, France gave the North African side few openings and saw out the match with a clinical edge in front of goal. The victory books their place in the closing stages of the competition, where their resilience and finishing are expected to make them difficult opponents.