The Moroccan national team, placed in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti for the 2026 World Cup, is resolute in its mission to «give it their all to make their supporters proud», declared head coach Walid Regragui on Friday in Washington. «We will respect all our opponents (...) and we will do everything we can to meet expectations and make our supporters proud», emphasized the coach of the Atlas Lions during a press briefing after the World Cup 2026 draw at the esteemed Kennedy Center in the U.S. capital. Addressing the team's opening match in the group stage, Regragui acknowledged that Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history with five titles, remains «one of the tournament favorites». «This first match will not be easy (...) they have brought in one of the best coaches with extensive experience», he remarked about Carlo Ancelotti, adding that «Morocco will be challenging one of the favorites, but they will also be playing against one of the favorites». Morocco, having reached the semi-finals in the previous World Cup and crowned U20 world champions, commands respect and admiration from all the qualified nations, Regragui affirmed. He also highlighted that the 2026 World Cup is a landmark event, being the first to be co-hosted by three countries and the first to feature 48 nations competing across 104 matches. The 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup are divided into twelve groups of four. The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the round of 16, while the eight best third-placed teams will fill the remaining slots. The tournament kicks off on June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, with the grand finale scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in the Greater New York area. Sixteen stadiums will host the matches: eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
