Canada and Morocco are both making history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but one team’s story will be ending Saturday.
The Canadian team is set to face its highest-ranked opponent thus far in the tournament, looking to keep its World Cup dreams alive as competition narrows to 16 remaining teams.
Morocco, currently sitting sixth in FIFA world rankings and currently on a 33-game winning streak, has broken many records this tournament, becoming the highest-scoring African nation in tournament history and setting a record amongst African teams for most World Cup victories with eight.
Their advancement from Group C was also just the third time an African nation has reached the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.
Canada and Morocco last faced off against one another during the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Dec. 1, 2022, as Morocco took the 2-1 win in Doha, Qatar.
Canada forward Tajon Buchanan (11) tries to get his foot on a pass during first-half Group F World Cup soccer action against Morocco at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 1, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch has tipped his hat to Morocco’s play thus far, saying prior to Canada’s training session Wednesday that preparing for the match has been “like a gory, horrible nightmare.”
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“It’s like, I don’t want to watch them play. They’re too good,” he said.
However, Marsch does not believe the underdog Canadians should be counted out.
“We want to be here and we expect to be here,” Marsch added. “So we know that everybody’s going to write us off and in that is an opportunity. But in the end, we are focused on trying to really be our best for this match and deliver the best performance of our lives, and that can give us a chance.”
Following Morocco’s shootout victory over the Netherlands Monday night, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said that “Canada will be a tough opponent for us.”
“We need to rest up, we need to come back fresh. We need to be telling ourselves, ‘No one will stop us.’”
Canadian Alphonso Davies got his first taste of this year’s tournament in Canada’s Round of 32 matchup against South Africa, coming off the bench for the final 15 minutes and sparking an immediate change of pace that led to Canada’s game-winning goal. Marsch has yet to confirm Davies’ role in Saturday’s match.
Canada is also set to wear their all-black kits, which they have been undefeated in when worn in the tournament.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. eastern.
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