World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Congo-Morocco Clash Shifts to Agadir

Friday 07 June 2024 - 10:30

In a pivotal development in the qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the highly anticipated match between Congo Brazzaville and Morocco, originally scheduled to take place in Kinshasa, has been relocated to the city of Agadir, Morocco.

The International Football Federation (FIFA) has officially informed the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) of the change in venue for this crucial encounter, marking a significant shift in the dynamics of Group E.

Walid Regragui's formidable Lions of the Atlas will now host their Congolese counterparts at the Grand Stade d'Agadir on June 11th, 2024, in a match that carries immense weight in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

In a statement published on its official website, the FRMF announced: "The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has been informed by FIFA of the decision to hold the match between Congo Brazzaville and Morocco, counting towards the 4th matchday of Group E in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, on June 11th at the Grand Stade d'Agadir, replacing the initially scheduled venue of the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. The kickoff for this encounter will be at 8:00 PM."

Notably, the Moroccan national team will also face Zambia on Friday, June 9th, at the Agadir stadium, in the third matchday of the qualifiers, setting the stage for an intense double-header in the coastal city.

In their previous outing during these qualifiers, the Atlas Lions secured a decisive 2-0 away victory against Tanzania on November 21st, 2023, marking their sole match played thus far in the African qualifying campaign.

Currently, Morocco occupies the top spot in Group E with 3 points, level with Zambia, Niger, and Tanzania, while Congo Brazzaville languishes at the bottom of the table with no points to their name.

The highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, is set to commence on June 11th at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and will reach its crescendo on July 19th at the MetLife Stadium in New York.

As the qualifying journey intensifies, all eyes will be on Agadir, where the Atlas Lions will aim to assert their dominance on home soil and edge closer to securing their coveted spot in the grandest stage of international football.