France defeated Paraguay at Philadelphia Stadium, moving Les Bleus one step closer to the final and keeping their dreams of a trip to the New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19 firmly alive.
Following its victory over Paraguay, both the opponent and venue for France’s quarterfinal clash have been locked in. The Europeans will face Morocco—whose own brilliant path to the final remains alive—on July 9 at Boston Stadium.
France is now aiming for another World Cup title to add to its storied history. However, several high-stakes hurdles remain on its path to the final in its quest to capture the championship.
France’s potential matchups are only getting tougher
With their quarterfinal match officially set against Morocco, Les Bleus are also keeping a close eye on which nations advance across the rest of the tournament. On their side of the bracket, France could potentially face Spain, Portugal, Belgium, or the United States in the semifinals.
Kylian Mbappe #10 of France celebrates.
Should France advance all the way to the final, its potential opponents include the possibility of a blockbuster rematch of the Qatar 2022 final. Les Bleus could face any of the following countries in the title match: Brazil, Norway, Mexico, England, Argentina, Egypt, Switzerland, or Colombia.
A final against Brazil would offer a thrilling rematch of the iconic 1998 final, provided the South Americans make it all the way through the opposite side of the bracket. Alternatively, Les Bleus could get a shot at redemption for their 2022 heartbreak if Argentina orchestrates another deep tournament run.
France faced a grueling test against Paraguay
Paraguay, now eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, shocked the world by eliminating Germany in the Round of 32, which is why many anticipated the South Americans would pose a highly difficult test for France.
Those speculations proved entirely correct. A solitary second-half goal from Kylian Mbappe from the penalty spot was all that separated the two sides, securing a narrow 1-0 victory for France. Their upcoming clash against Morocco will undoubtedly be the toughest test yet for Les Bleus in this tournament.
