FIFA President Gianni Infantino has named Morocco among the leading contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence in the Atlas Lions’ ability to challenge for the ultimate prize.
The global tournament, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature an expanded 48-team format, with Morocco securing one of Africa’s nine automatic qualification slots.
The North African side have been drawn in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti. Morocco will begin their campaign with a high-profile clash against Brazil before facing Scotland, and will conclude the group stage against Haiti.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Infantino praised Morocco’s recent progress and described the team as capable of going all the way.
“The Moroccan national team can win the next World Cup,” Infantino said in remarks quoted by FilGoal.
“Morocco has not only developed the technical skills of its players, but has also reinforced a firm conviction that it has become one of the major powers in world football.”
He further commended the work of the Moroccan Football Federation and the passion for football within the country, adding that Morocco now belong among the nations consistently viewed as title challengers.
Morocco arrive at the 2026 tournament with growing pedigree on the global stage. The Atlas Lions recently finished runners-up at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and etched their name in history at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
