Rabat: President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, has placed Morocco among the top contenders for the upcoming 2026 World Cup tournament. The global showpiece, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature an expanded 48 countries, with Morocco securing one of Africa's automatic nine slots for the tournament. The North African powerhouse is paired in Group C alongside record World Cup winners Brazil, European side Scotland, and Haiti. Morocco will open their account at the global showpiece in a high-stakes clash against Brazil, followed by Scotland, and will wrap up their group game against Haiti.
According to Ghana Web, as the World Cup approaches, Infantino has made a bold prediction by ranking Morocco among the top contenders for the title. "The Moroccan national team can win the next World Cup," he said, as quoted by FilGoal.com. "The Moroccan national team won the Under-20 World Cup and succeeded in qualifying for the semi-finals of the last edition of the Senior World Cup in an exceptional and impressive achievement."
Infantino highlighted that 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. "The Moroccan Football Federation is working very hard, and all the people of Morocco love football," he added. "I place Morocco among the top contenders to win the World Cup, alongside the usual teams that always compete for the title."
Morocco, who recently finished second at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, made history at the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-final of the tournament.