The Moroccan national football team faces a critical test on Friday evening, hosting their Nigerien counterparts at the new architectural marvel "Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium" in Rabat, with high hopes of securing the first African qualification spot for the 2026 World Cup.

The qualifiers resume after a six-month hiatus, with the leaders of each of the nine groups qualifying directly for the World Cup, while the best four runners-up will enter a playoff. The seventh and eighth rounds will take place this week, with the qualifiers continuing in October.

The "Atlas Lions" sit atop Group 5 with a perfect score of 15 points, six points ahead of Tanzania, following the withdrawal of the Eritrean team before the competitions began. If Morocco wins and Tanzania falters against Congo, the team will secure their third consecutive qualification and seventh in history. If both teams win, the decision will remain for the Zambia match next week, where a single point will suffice for Walid Regragui's men.

The Moroccan team relies on its prominent stars, led by Achraf Hakimi, a candidate for the Ballon d'Or, who emphasized that his biggest dream is to win a continental or global title with the "Lions".

The match carries an emotional dimension for Regragui, as he faces his first coach, Badou Zaki, the current head coach of Niger, after Morocco won the first leg 2-1 in a dramatic finish.

A large crowd is expected at the new stadium, which was entirely built on the ruins of the old stadium to accommodate 68,000 spectators, and will be a significant addition to the sports infrastructure ahead of the kingdom hosting the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations finals in December.