Morocco Hosts Burundi in Friendly Ahead of 2026 World Cup

The Burundi national football team is set to visit Morocco for a friendly match at 7:00 pm on the pitch of Mohammed VI Complex. This match is part of Morocco’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The World Cup draw placed Morocco in Group C, alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti. Although the group appears challenging, it offers the former African champion a genuine opportunity to advance to the knockout stages.

Morocco will play three friendly matches in total. After facing Burundi, they will compete against Madagascar and Norway on June 2 and June 7, respectively.

The Moroccan squad includes players such as Mohamed Chibi from Pyramids and Youssef Belammri from Al Ahly. The training camp is scheduled at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé from May 22 to May 26. This camp represents the final preparation phase before the official announcement of the final squad for the World Cup on May 26.

Morocco aims to replicate its historic performance from the 2022 World Cup, where it became the first Arab and African team to reach the semifinals and ultimately finished in fourth place.

The Atlas Lions rely on a core of professional players active in European leagues, led by Ashraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz. This lineup provides the team with significant technical strength and competitiveness, despite the tough opening match against Brazil.

Morocco’s participation in the World Cup marks its seventh appearance. The team will begin with a highly anticipated match against Brazil, followed by games against Scotland and Haiti in the group stage. Despite the strong competition, Morocco’s chances to finish first or second in the group and progress to the round of 32 remain viable.

If Morocco advances beyond the group stage, they could face a team from Group F, which includes the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and a team qualifying through the European playoffs.