France vs Morocco kicks off quarterfinals

France and Morocco open the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals on Thursday, July 9, in the first of four matches that will set the semifinal field. Yahoo Sports listed the game for 4 p.m. ET, with Fox carrying the match in the United States. The quarterfinal round runs from July 9 to July 11, with the remaining ties scheduled in Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City. ### When does France vs. Morocco start, and where is it being played? Thursday’s match is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET in Boston, according to Yahoo Sports’ live bracket tracker. NBC News also described the game as the opener to the final-eight round, with France led by Kylian Mbappé and Morocco entering as the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals. (sports.yahoo.com) Yahoo Sports’ match page lists the fixture as Morocco vs. France and ties it directly to the quarterfinal bracket. FIFA’s official tournament schedule says the 2026 World Cup is being staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada and includes 104 matches in the expanded 48-team format. ### Which channels are carrying the match in the United States? (sports.yahoo.com) Fox is carrying Thursday’s France-Morocco match in English, according to Yahoo Sports’ quarterfinal schedule. Yahoo’s separate viewing guides say every World Cup match in the United States is available in English on Fox or FS1, while Spanish-language coverage runs across Telemundo and Universo. (sports.yahoo.com) Yahoo Sports also said additional streaming options are available for U.S. viewers looking to watch without a traditional cable package. The company’s free-streaming guide framed the quarterfinal round as part of the broader 104-match tournament package across those networks. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Why is this quarterfinal drawing extra attention? France arrive with Mbappé still in the Golden Boot race, according to Yahoo Sports’ match preview, which said he had scored seven goals in the tournament entering Thursday. USA Today described the match as a rematch of the teams’ 2022 World Cup semifinal in Qatar. (sports.yahoo.com) Morocco bring recent World Cup history of their own. NBC News said Morocco became the first African nation to reach the final eight in consecutive men’s World Cups, while Yahoo Sports said the Atlas Lions were not expected to be overawed at this stage. ### What is the rest of the quarterfinal schedule? (uk.sports.yahoo.com) Friday, July 10, brings Belgium against Spain in Los Angeles at 3 p.m. ET, according to Yahoo Sports. Saturday, July 11, has Norway against England in Miami at 5 p.m. ET, followed by Argentina against Switzerland in Kansas City at 9 p.m. ET. (nbcnews.com) ESPN and NBC Sports both maintain full tournament fixture lists covering the knockout bracket, dates and venues. FIFA’s official schedule page lists the same tournament structure through the July 19 final. ### What should viewers watch for next? The July 9 winner advances to next week’s semifinal round, with the quarterfinal field narrowing from eight teams to four. (sports.yahoo.com) Yahoo Sports’ bracket tracker and FIFA’s official schedule page are updating match results and the path to the July 19 final as the round unfolds. (espn.com)