Morocco to Host Niger, Tanzania in 2026 World Cup qualifiers

 Morocco will face Niger on March 21 and Tanzania on March 25 at the Complexe d’Honneur in Oujda as part of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced on Thursday.

Both matches, part of Group E qualifying, are set to kick off at 9:30 p.m. (local time), the federation said in a press release.

The games mark Morocco’s fifth and sixth fixtures in the group stage as the Atlas Lions continue their bid for a place at the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Morocco’s U-20 football team has been drawn in Group B of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), following Thursday’s draw in Cairo.

The North African side, crowned continental champions in 1997, will face Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa in the group stage of the tournament, which runs from April 26 to May 18 in Côte d’Ivoire.

Host nation Côte d’Ivoire will compete in Group A alongside DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, and a second team from the Central African Football Federations’ Union (UNIFFAC).

Defending champions Senegal headline Group C, where they will meet Zambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.

The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, with the tournament following a knockout format from that stage onward.

The four semi-finalists will secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled for Sept. 27 to Oct. 19, 2025.

Morocco finishes the year 2024 ranked 14th in the world in the FIFA rankings, published on Thursday, unchanged from November.

The Atlas Lions remain the top team in Africa with 1,688.18 points, ahead of Senegal, which holds 17th place globally with 1,637.25 points.

The national football team also retains its position as the top team in the Arab world. Egypt is in second place (33rd globally) with 1,513.48 points.

Globally, there are few changes to report in the final World Rankings of the year. Argentina remains in first place, followed by France and Spain.

Angola, which played the most matches in 2024 (21), can boast of achieving the best progress of the year, climbing 32 places to 85th compared to 2023.

Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Sofyan Amrabet feature in the men’s Africa Best XI of the year 2024 unveiled at the CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakech on Monday.

André Onana, Kalidou Koulibaly, Chancel Mbemba, Yves Bissouma, Franck Kessié, Mohammed Kudus, Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman complete the African Team of the Year.

Atlas Lioness Ghizlane Chebbak is in the Women’s XI of the Year, which also includes Andile Dlamini, Michelle Alozie, Karabo Dhlamini, Osinachi Ohale, Lebohang Ramalepe, Linda Motlhalo, Rasheedat Ajibade, Barbara Banda, Asisat Oshoala and Tabitha Chawinga.

Moroccan internationals, Yassine Bouno, Achraf Hakimi and Soufiane Rahimi have been shortlisted for the “The Best FIFA Men’s XI” award, the world soccer’s governing body announced on its official website on Friday.

Yassine Bouno was crowned Saudi Arabian champion with Al-Hilal, Achraf Hakimi won the French championship with Paris Saint-Germain, while Soufiane Rahimi won the Asian Champions League with Al-Aïn, where he was top scorer.

Hakimi and Rahimi also won bronze medals with the national team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Other African players in contention for a place in the FIFA XI include Gabonese and Nigerian strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ademola Lookman, and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

The Best FIFA Men’s and Women’s XI awards recognize the world’s best players in their respective positions, nominating players on the basis of their performances between August 21, 2023 and August 10, 2024.

Morocco’s football national team fell down one place to 14th in the world rankings published by FIFA on Thursday.

The Atlas Lions, who dropped one place from the last FIFA ranking, remain in first place in Africa with 1688.18 points, ahead of Senegal in 17th place with 1637.25 points.

The national team also remains in first place in the Arab world ahead of Egypt in second place (33rd worldwide) with 1513.48 points.

Argentina remains at the top of the FIFA rankings, followed by France and Spain.

Here is the FIFA Top10 as of November 28, 2024:

1. Argentina

2. France

3. Spain

4. England

5. Brazil

6. Portugal

7. Netherlands

8. Belgium

9. Italy

10. Germany