Morocco begins World Cup 2026 quarter-final preparations against France in Boston
via Le Matin6 min read
The Atlas Lions have arrived in Boston to prepare for their World Cup 2026 quarter-final match against France, scheduled for July 9 at 9 PM. Training sessions on Monday and Tuesday will be crucial for assessing the physical condition of Ismael Saibari and Chadi Riad, who sustained injuries in previous matches against Canada and the Netherlands.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Morocco has launched eTrade.ma, a national B2B e-commerce platform, to digitalize its foreign trade and facilitate access for Moroccan businesses, particularly very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises VSMEs and SMEs, to international markets. The platform, developed in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University UM6P, aims to serve as a digital showcase for Moroccan exportable goods, enabling companies to present products, connect with foreign buyers, and expand internationally through dedicated digital tools. This initiative is part of the 2025-2027 Foreign Trade Program, which focuses on accelerating the sector's digital transformation. The launch addresses challenges faced by exporters, such as low international visibility, limited access to buyer networks, insufficient digital skills, and complex prospecting procedures. By 2027, eTrade.ma aims to integrate nearly 1,000 Moroccan exporting companies and generate over 15 billion dirhams in additional export revenue. Two strategic agreements were signed during the launch: one between the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, PortNet, the OCP Foundation, and UM6P for technical interconnection with the National Foreign Trade Procedures Window, and another involving the Secretary of State, Barid Al-Maghrib, Chronopost International Maroc, the OCP Foundation, and UM6P for developing integrated logistics services. A pilot version will be deployed first, followed by a gradual opening to all Moroccan exporting compani
A football match between Morocco and France transcends a mere sporting confrontation, revealing decades of shared history, human mobility, and sociological transformations between the two nations. For millions of Franco-Moroccans, this event highlights a double socialization, two heritages, and two emotional spaces that coexist without contradiction. Identities are not static; they evolve with space, time, and lived experiences. Nearly two million people in France have a direct link to Morocco, including Moroccan nationals, dual citizens, and French people of Moroccan origin. These strong family ties explain why a match between France and Morocco activates multiple emotional registers simultaneously. Many Franco-Moroccans are fully French in some aspects of their lives and fully Moroccan in others, often simultaneously both. This identity plurality is a key characteristic of contemporary societies, and football provides a visible platform for this reality. The 2022 World Cup demonstrated this complexity, with families displaying both flags, representing a daily reality rather than opposing national allegiances. The historical analysis suggests the match reflects the intensity of links uniting Morocco and France, rather than just a symbolic rivalry. The protectorate period, while complex, led to a dense partnership post-independence. Human exchanges are significant, with the largest French community abroad in Morocco and a substantial Moroccan community in France. This creates
Must ReadAchraf Hakimi stated that Kylian Mbapp茅 is "not my friend on the field" in response to Moroccan comedian Mimo Lazrak's Instagram video. Lazrak humorously urged Hakimi to set aside his friendship with Mbapp茅 during their upcoming match, suggesting he "tackle him, eliminate him, then, after the match, invite him for a drink." Hakimi's comment, which garnered significant likes, highlights the temporary suspension of their well-known friendship during competitive play. Hakimi and Mbapp茅, who became close during their time at Paris Saint-Germain, frequently name each other as their best friend in football. They are set to face each other again in a World Cup knockout match, following their previous encounter in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, where France defeated Morocco 2-0. That match ended the Atlas Lions' historic run as the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final. This upcoming quarter-final is seen by many as an opportunity for a "sporting revenge." Morocco enters the match with momentum after a 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16, while France secured their spot by defeating Paraguay with a penalty from Kylian Mbapp茅 in a more contested game. The quarter-final is scheduled for Thursday, July 9, at 9:00 PM Moroccan time, at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, United States. Both players will put their friendship aside with the sole aim of qualifying their respective teams for the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.