France will face Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, December 14, at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar. The match kicks off at 7pm GMT and will be broadcast live on BBC One, with streaming available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
France, the reigning champions, are aiming to reach their second consecutive World Cup final after defeating England 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud secured the victory. Manager Didier Deschamps is expected to field the same starting lineup for the third straight game, featuring Hugo Lloris, Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez, Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, and Giroud.
Morocco, the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final, have stunned Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages. However, they face significant injury concerns, with defenders Noussair Mazraoui (hip/illness), Nayef Aguerd (thigh), and captain Romain Saiss (hamstring) doubtful. Midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri and Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech are also struggling with knocks, while Walid Cheddira is suspended.
This will be the 12th meeting between the two sides, with their last encounter in November 2007 ending in a 2-2 draw in a friendly. France will be heavy favourites, but Morocco's resilient defence and counter-attacking threat cannot be underestimated.
