Morocco no longer feels like a novelty choice. Their recent rise changed that. The report says Mamdani sees them going all the way this summer, which would deliver a first world title for the nation and, even more significantly, a first final for an African side.
That prediction carries emotional weight because Morocco already cracked one barrier by reaching the semi-finals in Qatar. Since then, they have come to represent something bigger than a dark horse story: structure, belief and the sense that African football belongs at the very top table.
The report’s projected route is full of surprises:
That is what makes the bracket interesting. It does not read like a safe forecast; it reads like a fan’s tournament map, where momentum and emotion matter as much as pedigree.
Reports suggest Mamdani’s affection for African football runs deep, and that helps explain why Morocco sits at the centre of his vision. In an event as sprawling as the World Cup, supporters rarely remember the tidy predictions. They remember the ones with personality.
Now the intrigue shifts to the pitch. If Morocco can start strongly - and if the United States really can make a run - this may become one of the tournament’s more entertaining storylines to track through the opening rounds.