CAF Sends World Cup Message to Morocco Ahead of Round of 16 Clash vs Canada
- CAF has sent a message of support to Morocco ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 tie vs Canada
- The Atlas Lions defeated the Netherlands in the Round of 32, while co-hosts Canada eliminated South Africa
- Morocco and Egypt are the two surviving African nations in the World Cup midway through the tournament
The Confederation of African Football has sent a message to Morocco ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Canada.
The two sides will face off at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 5 PM GMT, under the supervision of English referee Michael Oliver.
Source: Getty Images
Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou will have an emotional match as he was born in Canada before relocating to Morocco, where he had his early football education.
The Atlas Lions defeated the Netherlands on penalties in the Round of 32, while their opponents, Canada, beat South Africa with a late goal.
A quarter-final clash against the winner of the other Round of 16 match between Paraguay and France awaits the winner on July 7, 2026.
Morocco are one of the only two African nations left in the tournament after the Round of 32, with Egypt the other nation. The Pharaohs defeated Australia on penalties to win their first knockout game in World Cup history.
CAF sends message to Morocco
Morocco made history as the first African country to reach the semi-final at the 2022 edition in Qatar before they were eliminated by France.
CAF is backing the Atlas Lions for more history at this edition as they carry the weight of representing Africa in the latter stages of the competition.
“An unforgettable night in 2022. 🔙 Go write the next chapter, Morocco. 🇲🇦❤️,” the post reads.
Predictions for Morocco vs Canada
The famous cat, Nimbus Pronos, backs the North Africans to end the co-hosts' historic journey when the two sides clash in the Round of 16.
As noted by The Analyst, Opta’s supercomputer agrees with this prediction after running 25,000 pre-game simulations in which Morocco are favourites.
The Atlas Lions have a 67% chance of progressing to the quarter-final overall, 51.8% to do it in 90 minutes. Canada has a 33% chance overall and 21.7% overall, and the match going to extra time occurred in 26.5% of the simulations.
Source: Getty Images
Morocco have the upper hand in head-to-head, having won three and drawn one in their previous four meetings against the North Americans.
The North Africans had previously faced a CONCACAF nation, Haiti, in the tournament, which they won 4-2, while Canada defeated a CAF team in South Africa.
CAF has high expectations from Morocco
Legit.ng previously reported that CAF sent a message to Morocco ahead of their participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Mexico and Canada.
The African football governing body applauded Morocco for their record-breaking run in 2022, which instilled strong beliefs in other nations.
Source: Legit.ng
