Rabat – Morocco delivered a brilliant performance tonight, defeating Niger 5-0 in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup to secure a spot in the global tournament. With the victory, Morocco became the first African nation to book a ticket to the global stage.
From the start, the Atlas Lions dominated possession and created many chances, while Niger struggled to break through the strong Moroccan defense.
The scoring opened in the 29th minute when Ismail Saibari put the ball into the net. Just nine minutes later, Saibari doubled Morocco’s lead with his second goal of the night, this time assisted by Achraf Hakimi.
The Atlas Lions went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 advantage, leaving Niger unable to find any response.
Early in the second half, Ayoub El Kaabi made it 3-0 in the 51st minute after receiving a clever assist from Youssef Belammari. Substitutions followed for both teams, and one of them proved decisive for Morocco. Hamza Igamane, who replaced El Kaabi, scored the fourth goal in the 69th minute thanks to an assist from Nayef Aguerd, securing Morocco’s dominance.
Just when fans thought the game was winding down, Azzedine Ounahi added a late surprise, scoring in the 85th minute to seal the 5-0 victory.
The match took place at the newly renovated Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which had just reopened the day before.
The atmosphere was electric at the stadium from start to finish. Before kickoff, fans unveiled an impressive Tifo featuring a lion proudly holding the World Cup trophy, with the message: “The Trophy Is Our Dream.”
Hopes are running high across Morocco that the Atlas Lions will shine in the 2026 World Cup just as they did in Qatar 2022, when they made history by reaching the semi-finals.
