Morocco World Cup history: Atlas Lions become first African squad to make back-to

In terms of team trajectory ever since the 2022 World Cup, arguably no country has taken a leap into "heavyweight" territory quite like Morocco.

By beating Canada 3-0 on Saturday, Morocco clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup and continued what's been a terrific four-year stretch for its program.

Since leading their group and going on a run to the semifinals in the 2022 World Cup, Morocco has broken a world record for the longest winning streak ever in international soccer (19), won the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup and was named the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions. Now, in July 2026, the team will have another shot at a deep World Cup run.

Here's a look at Morocco's World Cup history and more to know about how the country is making history with its 2026 run.

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The 2026 World Cup marks Morocco's seventh appearance all-time, including each of the last three. When Morocco qualified in 2018, it marked its first qualification since 1998.

Three of those seven appearances have now resulted in a knockout-round appearance. Morocco's 2022 run to the semifinals, finishing in fourth place following a loss to France then a third-place match loss to Croatia, was the furthest the country has ever made it in the World Cup.

With one more win, Morocco can match that 2022 run, and with two more wins, it can surpass it by reaching the World Cup final.

Here's a look at Morocco's full World Cup history:

MORE: Why Canada's 2026 World Cup was a success despite exit vs. Morocco

Morocco's manager is Mohamed Ouahbi. He led the country's U20 and U23 levels before becoming the manager of the senior team in 2026, making his World Cup debut as a manager in this year's tournament.

Previously, Walid Regragui led Morocco to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup, then to qualification for the 2026 World Cup; he stepped down as manager in March before Ouahbi took over.

Who are Morocco's best players?

Among the Morocco players to know are Achraf Hakimi, who is Paris Saint-Germai's right-back on the club side. Hakimi is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, owning 12 career goals for Morocco in international competition.

Another big name is Ismael Saibari, a midfielder who now plays for Bayern Munich and leads Morocco with his three goals at the 2026 World Cup so far.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has recorded seven saves through five World Cup matches so far as well.

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Has an African nation ever won the World Cup?

No African country has ever won the World Cup. In fact, Morocco's 2022 performance at Qatar was already historic — that marked the first time ever that an African country had reached the semifinals of the tournament.

Now, Morocco has reached the quarterfinals in consecutive World Cup appearances, also making history in 2026 as the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals.