A day before the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, two fallen semi-final heavyweights France and England will take the pitch on Saturday to contest the tournament’s third-place bronze medal, a match neither side envisioned themselves playing after their recent crushing knockout stage exits.
Both nations entered the North American World Cup with title ambitions, but saw their championship dreams dashed in the semi-final round. France, widely tipped as favorites to claim a third world crown, were outclassed in a clear defeat by Spain. For England, the loss stung even deeper: a late, heart-breaking defeat to Argentina extended their six-decade-long wait for a major international trophy. Now, with the final out of reach, both sides will look to end their campaigns on a rare positive note at Miami Stadium in Florida.
While third-place matches are often written off as low-stakes, uninspired affairs, Saturday’s clash carries extra significance for France. This will be the final international match in charge for head coach Didier Deschamps, who steps down after 14 years at the helm of Les Bleus. Deschamps, who suffered the personal loss of his mother during the group stage, leaves a legendary legacy: he guided France to the 2018 World Cup title, a runners-up finish at the 2022 tournament, and another deep run to the semi-finals in 2026. Under his leadership, France emerged as one of the most consistently dominant top national teams in global soccer. A third-place finish would serve as a fitting send-off for the departing coach.
Beyond Deschamps’ farewell, the match also carries a historic individual milestone for French superstar Kylian Mbappé. Entering the clash with eight tournament goals, Mbappé is level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi atop the Golden Boot race, with Messi holding a narrow lead on assists. He is also just one goal away from equaling or breaking the all-time record for most World Cup career goals, which currently stands at 21. If Mbappé holds onto his lead to claim the Golden Boot, he will make history as the first player ever to win the award twice.
For both footballing powerhouses, however, the third-place match remains an unwanted fixture. Unlike third-place podiums in individual sports, the bronze medal match of the World Cup often leaves players with a hollow feeling: a reminder of how close they came to a shot at the title, only to fall short. “None of our players, and none of France’s players, want to play this game,” England head coach Thomas Tuchel said after his side’s semi-final defeat to Argentina. “They want to be playing in the final. We gave everything to get there. Everyone competes to win the World Cup, but this is where we are now.”
Deschamps echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the disappointment hanging over his side: “We are not where we wanted to be. The disappointment matches our ambitions, but we have to accept it.”
Entering the clash, France hold clear recent form against England. This will be the fourth World Cup meeting between the two nations: England claimed wins in their first two encounters (2-0 in 1966, 3-1 in 1982), but France grabbed a 2-1 quarter-final win over England in the 2022 World Cup. Overall, England have won just once in their last nine matches against France, a 2-0 friendly win back in November 2015.
In team news, France will be without defender William Saliba (back injury) and goalkeeper Brice Samba (calf injury), while England are missing midfielder Jordan Henderson (wrist fracture) and face a late fitness test for full-back Reece James (muscle injury). With the title out of reach, both sides are expected to make sweeping changes to their starting lineups, giving minutes to squad players who have seen limited game time throughout the tournament. The exception is Mbappé, who is all but guaranteed to start as he chases the Golden Boot and the all-time scoring record. For England, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, both on six goals for the tournament, are also expected to start to make a late push for the individual award.
The 2026 World Cup third-place match between France and England kicks off at 16:00 local time at Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida.