France vs Morocco live: Mbappé penalty miss in World Cup quarter-final
DIRECT ANSWER: France are live against Morocco in a 2026 World Cup quarter-final at Gillette Stadium near Boston, and the Bleus are pressing hard for a semi-final place. Despite dominating play, they remain level as goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has denied Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and, crucially, Kylian Mbappé from the penalty spot after a VAR review.
Key Takeaways
- Didier Deschamps started Désiré Doué and Manu Koné in a 4-2-3-1, with Aurélien Tchouaméni ruled out by a thigh injury.
- The match kicked off at 22:00 French time at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with France warming up before a last-eight clash.
- France have created the better chances, but Morocco's Yassine Bounou has made several saves to keep the Lions of the Atlas in the tie.
- Captain Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty saved by Bounou; franceinfo reported it was his third miss from 18 attempts this season.
- Les Bleus arrive unbeaten at the World Cup and face a Morocco side seeking revenge after France's 2022 semi-final win.
What is France's lineup against Morocco?
As L'Équipe confirmed, Didier Deschamps picked a familiar XI: Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Lucas Digne; Manu Koné and Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and captain Kylian Mbappé.
Manu Koné started for the second match running and for the fourth time at the tournament, filling in because Aurélien Tchouaméni was too short of match fitness after a thigh problem. France were expected to stick with the 4-2-3-1 shape used since the opening game.
Where and when is France vs Morocco being played?
RMC Sport placed the quarter-final at Gillette Stadium in the Boston area, with kick-off at 22:00. Live coverage showed Les Bleus arriving on the pitch for their warm-up before the ball rolled on Thursday night.
The tie is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final that France won. Morocco, known as the Lions of the Atlas, hope to turn the page, while France's players have impressed through an unbeaten run so far.
What happened early in the France-Morocco quarter-final?
France took control quickly. RMC Sport counted 10 French attempts, including three on target, against none on target for Morocco by the first half-hour, underlining tricolour dominance without a breakthrough.
Désiré Doué was heavily involved, winning the ball from Ayyoub Bouaddi and forcing a save from Bounou. Dembélé curled an effort wide after a dribble, and Bounou also stopped Doué from close range. Morocco's approach looked cautious, with franceinfo describing their game as disappointing and very prudent.
The biggest moment came when Mbappé stepped up from the spot. After a long delay and a VAR check over whether he fell before contact, his penalty was saved comfortably by Bounou to his left. Franceinfo noted Mbappé had now missed three of 18 penalties this season, with an 82% career conversion rate.
Why does this quarter-final matter for France?
A win sends Kylian Mbappé and company into the World Cup semi-finals and keeps alive a tournament where they have yet to lose. For Morocco, it is a chance at revenge on the biggest stage in American football's heartland.
From Bondy to Boston, supporters are following every save and miss in real time. For more live-event coverage across sport and innovation, browse our Future Tech & AI Wonders section as this quarter-final unfolds.