Both nations enter Sunday's friendly in strong form after making perfect starts to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaigns.
Morocco opened with consecutive 2–0 victories over Gabon and Lesotho, while Mali defeated Cape Verde 3–1 before securing a 1–0 win against Liberia.
The meeting in Tangier will therefore provide both teams with a valuable test after their impressive starts.
Morocco Hold the Historical Advantage
The two nations have faced each other 21 times across all competitions.
Morocco have recorded nine victories, compared with six wins for Mali, while six encounters have ended in draws.
The numbers underline a competitive rivalry, although the Atlas Lions currently hold the upper hand in the overall record.
The Latest Meeting Ended in a Draw
The most recent encounter came at AFCON 2025, when the two sides met during the second round of the group stage.
The match ended 1–1, with Brahim Diaz putting Morocco ahead before Lassine Sinayoko equalised for the Eagles.
It was another closely contested meeting between two sides familiar with one another on the African stage.
Morocco’s Biggest Victory
The largest victory in the history of the fixture belongs to Morocco.
The Atlas Lions produced a memorable 6–0 triumph over Mali in Rabat on September 1, 2017, during the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
That result remains the most emphatic scoreline recorded between the two national teams.
Four Meetings Without Defeat
Morocco have also built a positive recent run against their West African opponents.
The Atlas Lions are currently unbeaten in their last four meetings, recording two victories and two draws during that period.
Across all 21 encounters, Morocco have scored 37 goals, while Mali have found the net 15 times.
Another Test in Tangier
With both teams arriving after strong qualifying results, Sunday's friendly offers another opportunity to measure their progress.
For Mohamed Ouahbi, it is a chance to test his squad against a physically demanding and competitive opponent, while Mali will look to continue the momentum generated by their perfect start to qualifying.
The latest chapter of this long-running rivalry will unfold at the Grand Stade de Tanger.