France advances to 2026 World Cup semifinals after beating Morocco

France has secured its place in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, defeating Morocco 2-0 in a quarterfinal match. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scored the goals that propelled the French team into the next round of the expanded 48-team tournament, making them the first nation to advance to the final four.

The match marked the end of Morocco's impressive run in the competition. France's victory sets up a potential clash in the semifinals, with the winners advancing to play for the title on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, or for third place a day earlier in Miami.

The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has already seen 40 teams eliminated from the initial 48 participants. The article provides a comprehensive list of these eliminated nations, ranging from European teams like the Czech Republic and Scotland to South American giants like Brazil and Argentina, and African contenders such as Senegal and Egypt.

Additionally, the piece offers a historical perspective on the World Cup, detailing the most successful nations. Brazil leads the standings with five titles, followed by Germany and Italy with four each. Argentina has secured three titles, while France and Uruguay have each won the tournament twice. England and Spain round out the list of champions with one title apiece.