In the early hours of Sunday, the Moroccan national team touched down at Rabat-Salé airport to a clamorous reception. Thousands of supporters, waving national flags and chanting anthems, had gathered despite the late hour to salute the Atlas Lions, who were returning from the United States after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Players including captain Achraf Hakimi and standout goalkeeper Yassine Bounou acknowledged the crowd with waves and raised hands, their warm homecoming a vivid contrast to the 2-0 defeat by France that had ended their campaign. A day earlier, Egypt’s squad had received a similarly adoring welcome in New Alamein, where an open-top bus parade carried the Pharaohs through streets lined with jubilant fans. The celebrations honoured a team that had just secured the country’s first-ever appearance in the World Cup knockout stage.

Morocco’s path to the last eight was built on resilience and tactical discipline. Drawn into a group led by Brazil, the side managed by Mohamed Ouahbi opened with a 1-1 draw against the five-time champions, then defeated Scotland 1-0 and Haiti 4-2 to finish second on goal difference. In the Round of 32, they edged the Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate, and a commanding 3-0 victory over Canada in the last sixteen sent them into a quarter-final against France. There, two goals without reply ended the African record-holders’ progression, but not before they had become the only African and Arab team to reach that stage in the tournament’s first 48-team edition.

Egypt’s journey was briefer but no less dramatic. In their inaugural knockout tie, the Pharaohs seized a 2-0 lead against defending champions Argentina, only for three late goals – the final one in stoppage time – to send them out of the competition. The 3-2 loss in the Round of 16, coming after a historic first group-stage win and a penalty shoot-out defeat of Australia, was mourned across the country, yet it did not dim the sense of achievement. Captain Mohamed Salah, speaking to supporters, promised that the tournament would mark “the beginning of a new era” for Egyptian football.

Across the Arab world, the exits of Egypt and Morocco were felt as a shared loss, but their returns were celebrated as collective triumphs. Throughout the tournament, images circulated of packed cafés from Cairo to Casablanca erupting in joy at every Arab goal, while in Gaza, large screens set amid the ruins drew crowds to cheer both teams. The shared emotional investment underscored a rare moment of regional unity, even as diverse political currents otherwise divided publics.

With the elimination of the last Arab representatives, the 2026 World Cup now proceeds without them, yet the standard they set lingers. Morocco departs having matched its best-ever finish, while Egypt has transformed its own footballing expectations. For both, the immediate future will be defined by the attempt to build on these milestones, and across North Africa, the task for federations and coaches is to convert a summer of symbolic victories into lasting competitive gains.