New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani has predicted that Morocco will defeat France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, backing the Atlas Lions to become world champions for the first time in their history, Morocco World News reports.
Speaking in predictions published by British newspaper The Guardian (via Morocco World News) the 35-year-old mayor shared his vision for the tournament’s outcome, forecasting a third consecutive World Cup final appearance for France.
However, unlike the previous two editions, Mamdani believes Les Bleus will fall short against Morocco, who he expects to complete a remarkable journey to the final after their historic breakthrough at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The mayor’s prediction sees the Atlas Lions going one step further than four years ago, when they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
“We’ll choose with our hearts, so I’ll choose Morocco in this big final,” Mamdani said when explaining his prediction.
The forecast has attracted attention among football fans, particularly because the 2026 World Cup final will be played in the New York metropolitan area, giving the mayor a special connection to the tournament.
Morocco enters the competition with high expectations following its impressive performances in recent years. Under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the Atlas Lions are aiming to build on the success achieved in Qatar and establish themselves among the world’s elite national teams.
Drawn into Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti, Morocco will begin its World Cup campaign against Brazil on June 13 before facing Scotland on June 19 and Haiti on June 24.
Whether Mamdani’s prediction becomes reality remains to be seen, but Moroccan supporters would undoubtedly welcome a final against France, and an even sweeter ending than the one he envisioned.
The answer will come on July 19, when the world discovers who will lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy.
