France Triumphs Over Morocco 2-0 to Reach 2026 World Cup Semi-Finals

France secured a decisive 2-0 victory against Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final, advancing to the semi-finals for the third consecutive tournament. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 60th minute, followed quickly by Ousmane Dembélé’s goal in the 66th minute, sealing the win and setting up a semi-final clash against the winner of the Spain-Belgium match, scheduled for the evening of July 14.

The match drew record-breaking viewership figures in France. Broadcaster M6 reported an average audience of 16.1 million viewers, peaking at 18.1 million, marking the highest viewership on the channel this year with a remarkable 72.8% audience share. This significant interest reflects the national enthusiasm towards France’s continued World Cup success. Meanwhile, beIN Sports, another tournament broadcaster, is also expected to report strong viewership numbers.

In contrast to the high fan engagement on television, many French cities have shown reluctance to establish fan zones for public match viewings during this World Cup. Cities such as Lyon have declined to host fan zones except possibly for the final in a closed venue, while Paris remains cautious due to recent public disturbances during PSG celebrations. Other cities like Clermont-Ferrand have implemented strict curfews and restrictive measures to curb gatherings. Mulhouse and Amiens stand apart by organizing fan zones with limited capacity and heightened security precautions.

The semi-final match will begin at 21:00 on July 14, earlier than previous matches, potentially attracting even more viewers as France aims to continue its impressive World Cup run with hopes of clinching the title for a third consecutive major tournament victory.