Morocco unveils World Cup 2026 preparations with key friendlies in the United States

The preparation schedule for the Morocco national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has now been confirmed. Before kicking off their campaign in the tournament—set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19—the Atlas Lions will play two friendly matches on American soil.

El Salvador First Up on June 3

Before taking on Norway, Morocco will face the El Salvador national football team on June 3. The news was confirmed by Yamil Bukele, president of the Salvadoran Football Federation.

The match will be held at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two national teams. El Salvador is currently ranked 100th in the world and has not qualified for the World Cup.

A Major Test Against Haaland’s Norway

Four days later, Morocco will face the Norway national football team on June 7 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in the United States. This high-level clash will see Morocco go up against a strong Norwegian side led by Erling Haaland. The fixture is expected to serve as a crucial test just days before the start of the World Cup.

A Challenging Group at World Cup 2026

At the 2026 tournament, Morocco will compete in Group C alongside Brazil national football team, Scotland national football team, and Haiti national football team.

The Atlas Lions will begin their campaign against Brazil in New York on the night of June 13–14, before facing Scotland in Boston and Haiti in Atlanta.

These two friendly matches against El Salvador and Norway will give Morocco valuable opportunities to fine-tune their tactics, build team chemistry, and assess their level ahead of what promises to be a highly competitive World Cup.