HOUSTON (Kashmir English): Morocco is one of the two Muslim-majority countries to secure a spot in the Round of 16 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They advanced to the next round after a penalty shootout victory against the Netherlands.
Other Muslim-majority countries that participated in the global event—including Iran, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia—were eliminated in the Round of 32.
Morocco is scheduled to face Canada in their Round of 16 match on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
The match will take place at Houston Stadium in Texas. The game will start at 12:00 PM local time (CT), which corresponds to 10:00 PM PKT.
The Atlas Lions reached the Round of 16 after a dramatic 3–2 penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands following a 1–1 draw in the Round of 32.
Co-hosts Canada advanced by securing a 1–0 Round of 32 win against South Africa.
The winner of the Morocco-Canada clash will move on to the quarterfinals.
Egypt remains the second majority Muslim nation that has officially qualified for the Round of 16.
Egypt achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 3, 2026, when they defeated Australia 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the Round of 32.
This victory secured Egypt’s first-ever ticket to a World Cup Round of 16.
The Pharaohs will face Argentina in their knockout matchup on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium, USA.
Other Round of 16 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
As of July 3, 2026, 13 nations have officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
The Round of 32 has concluded for nearly all brackets, leaving only three final slots to be filled by the winners of the remaining late-bracket matches (Argentina vs. Cape Verde, Australia vs. Egypt, and Colombia vs. Ghana).
The confirmed qualifiers and their official Round of 16 bracket fixtures are structured as follows:
Confirmed Round of 16 matchups
Brazil vs. Norway
Canada vs. Morocco
Paraguay vs. France
Mexico vs. England
United States vs. Belgium
