France and Morocco to meet in quarterfinals

France has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup after a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay in their Round of 16 encounter. Kylian Mbappe's penalty proved to be the decisive goal, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Morocco.

The match was largely uneventful, particularly in the first half, which ended goalless. While France controlled possession and created some opportunities, they were unable to convert. The intense heat in Philadelphia may have contributed to the slow pace of the game.

In the second half, the game remained largely similar until the 67th minute when the referee consulted VAR for a potential foul inside the penalty area on substitute Désiré Doué. A penalty was correctly awarded, and Kylian Mbappe converted it to give France a 1-0 lead. This was his seventh goal of the tournament.

Paraguay struggled to threaten the French goal despite pushing forward in search of an equalizer. France ultimately secured the win and their place in the quarterfinals, where they will face Morocco.