The eyes of the Arab peoples and the entire world are turned to Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor city, Qatar, where the national teams of France and Morocco are facing a decisive semifinal match in the FIFA World Cup, after the Atlas Lions made their country history as the first Arab and African team to reach this stage.

Morocco needs a roar of its lions to continue its fairy tale in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, in their match against star-studded defending champions France.

The Arab African country exceeded expectations by outperforming a group of higher-ranked European teams in the FIFA rankings, as it defeated Belgium in the group stage, then prevailed over Spain on penalties, and beat Portugal in the knockout rounds.

Its success and reaching the semifinals were welcomed in cafes from Baghdad to Bamako, where fans celebrated the team's victories. Thousands of Moroccans have already traveled to Qatar, and hundreds more are racing to buy last-minute tickets to watch their country's match.

As for France, it enters the World Cup semifinal match with the utmost respect for its opponent, while preparing to receive boos from supporters, as the number of Moroccan fans is larger than that of the European country’s fans at Al Bayt Stadium.

Festive atmospheres prevailed in Morocco long before the match started, with flags seen waving from balconies and buildings amid a sense of pride across the country. School children in the capital Rabat chanted football songs.

In Rabat, billboards featuring individual players or the entire team were placed. In the old city, street vendors were seen carrying a variety of souvenirs for sale.

Follow the progress of the France vs. Morocco match in this live coverage.