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Public unrest began in parts of London on Thursday night, and the reason appears to be Morocco’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the hands of France.
France defeated Morocco 2-0, forcing the African country’s elimination for the second consecutive tournament, this time in a quarterfinal match.
As a result, many feared that Paris would erupt into riots, especially after the chaos that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League victory over Arsenal in May. Instead, images and videos from Edgware Road in northwest London showed police confronting large crowds as smoke rose through the streets and debris littered the road.
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A police vehicle stands on the road as people from pro-Palestinian activist groups gather near the Edgware United Synagogue, during a demonstration against the “Great Israeli Real Estate Event” organized by the “My Home in Israel” real estate agency, which markets properties in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in London, Britain, June 14, 2026. (Toby Shepherd)
Riot police, equipped with shields and bulletproof vests, were seen trying to contain the crowd as they clashed with people setting off fireworks and throwing debris. A video also appeared to show an officer down.
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ AND OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ TAKE FRANCE TO THE WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS WITH VICTORY OVER MOROCCO
It is unknown what happened to the officer who was seen lying on the asphalt, nor how his injury occurred.
Fans were seen waving Moroccan flags in the middle of the streets, hampering traffic. Some were even seen jumping on top of vehicles trying to traverse the area.
Moroccan fans in the stand before the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match between France and Morocco at Boston Stadium on July 9, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Richard Sellers/SportsphotoAllstar)
Similar scenes played out after Egypt’s elimination from the World Cup, when Argentina rallied to claim a controversial 3-2 victory that included several disputed refereeing decisions.
Paris, on the other hand, seemed more like a city celebrating than one on the brink of riot. Supporters from France and Morocco flooded the streets, slowing traffic in several parts of the city.
A video showed car horns with French and Moroccan flags in the windows on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Supporters standing on the side of the road, promoting their own flags, joined in the celebration.
Frenchman Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of this World Cup, which ties him for the most with Argentine Lionel Messi. Ousmane Dembélé also scored in the second half for France in a 2-0 win over Morocco.
It is France’s third consecutive semi-final appearance, while Morocco still made World Cup history despite the defeat. After becoming the first African country to reach the quarter-finals and semi-finals in World Cup history in 2022, it only added to that by becoming the first African nation to reach more than one quarter-final.
Moroccan fans react as they attend a viewing party for the World Cup round of 16 match between France and Morocco in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 9, 2026. (JOSÉ PREZIOSO / AFP)
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Morocco’s exit means there are no more African nations left alive in the World Cup. France will face the winner of Spain and Belgium, while England-Norway and Argentina-Switzerland will also play in the quarterfinals.
