Morocco national football team reveals lineup for World Cup match against Scotland

Morocco has named its starting eleven for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C clash against Scotland, set for June 19, 2026, at Gillette Stadium in Boston. The Atlas Lions, fresh off a 1-1 draw with Brazil in their tournament opener, are rolling out a lineup that blends established stars with some of the most exciting young talent in world football.

Scotland, meanwhile, enter this match riding the confidence of a 1-0 victory over Haiti.

The starting eleven

Morocco is projected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Yassine Bounou, the Al-Hilal goalkeeper who was instrumental in Morocco’s fairy-tale run at the 2022 World Cup, starts between the posts. Behind him sits a back four of captain Achraf Hakimi of PSG at right-back, Noussair Mazraoui of Manchester United on the opposite flank, and Issa Diop and Chadi Riad in the center.

The double pivot features Neil El Aynaoui alongside Ayyoub Bouaddi. The attacking midfield trio behind the lone striker features Brahim Diaz, Azzedine Ounahi, and Bilal El Khannouss. Leading the line is Ismael Saibari.

Context from the group stage

Morocco’s 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opening match demonstrated that the Atlas Lions remain one of the most well-organized teams in international football. Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti puts them on three points heading into this matchday two fixture.

With only the top two from each group guaranteed to advance along with the best third-placed teams, every result carries enormous weight.

Morocco’s trajectory since Qatar

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals, beating Belgium, Spain, and Portugal en route to the final four.

Four years later, the core of that squad remains intact. Bounou is still the goalkeeper, Hakimi continues at right-back, and Mazraoui provides balance on the opposite side. Players like Bouaddi, Saibari, and El Khannouss were not part of the Qatar story but are key figures in the current squad.

What this match means

For Morocco, a win would almost certainly guarantee passage to the knockout rounds, regardless of what happens in the final group match. Combined with the draw against Brazil, six points from two games would be difficult to overhaul.

For Scotland, three points here, added to the three they already have, would put them on six points. Gillette Stadium seats over 65,000 fans.

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