Africa-Press. Twitter users reacted to comments by FIFA President Gianni Infantino about Morocco’s chances of winning the 2026 World Cup. This came during a live broadcast on Instagram, where he received a direct question about whether the “Atlas Lions” could be crowned world champions.
The World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will kick off next June, with seven Arab national teams taking part and the possibility of an eighth — Iraq — joining them after playing the qualifying playoff.
The participating Arab teams have been drawn into tough groups, meaning difficult matchups that will require great effort and exceptional performances on the pitch in the world’s most watched and most thrilling tournament.
Infantino explained his answer by listing Morocco’s standout achievements: Morocco’s U-20 side won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile after defeating Argentina, while the “Atlas Lions” reached the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and finished fourth in the world — an unprecedented historic achievement for the Arab world and Africa.
These accomplishments contributed to Morocco being ranked eighth in the world in the FIFA ranking for 2026, topping the African teams.
Morocco will enter the tournament backed by prominent stars playing for major European and Arab clubs, including Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain, Al Hilal’s Saudi-based goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz.
Morocco will play in Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti — a real challenge from the opening round, combining strong competition with the ambitions of a large fan base.
Users’ reactions
The (06/02/2026) episode of the program “Shabakat” highlighted a split in opinions: some are optimistic about the abilities of Arab teams, especially Morocco, while others are cautious and see it as difficult to get past the group stage against teams with a long history of titles. Others argued that performance on the pitch is the decisive factor, regardless of expectations.
In an optimistic take, Mohammed tweeted:
“We hope Morocco wins — a highly qualified team. All the Arab teams taking part are strong, but this is football: only one team will lift the cup in the end. What matters is playing in a distinctive and honorable way for every country.”
Similarly, Karima expressed strong confidence in Morocco’s abilities, saying:
“Of course Morocco will win — what’s missing? Professional players and everything else. All that’s needed is confidence, good training, and taking responsibility, because the people put their trust in them.”
Sami, clearly more reserved about the overall chances of Arab teams, wrote:
“I don’t think Arab teams will get past the group stage because the participating teams are very strong, and most have a rich history of championships and global stars.”
Taking a middle position between optimism and caution, Mira argued that the final verdict belongs to what happens on the field, writing:
“Many Arab teams are in the World Cup, and the one that plays best on the pitch will be the one that succeeds.”
