France and England to vie for third place in 2026 World Cup

After unexpected semifinal defeats, France and England are set to compete for third place in the 2026 World Cup. France, once a tournament favorite and high-scoring team, was shut out in their semifinal against Spain. Kylian Mbappé's quest for the Golden Boot was also cut short.

England's campaign ended after Argentina staged a late comeback, with Lionel Messi providing two crucial assists in injury time to secure a 2-1 victory. Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final on July 19.

The third-place playoff between France and England will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET (US time). This match, dubbed the "bronze final" by FIFA, follows the quarter-final clash between these two nations in the 2022 World Cup, which France won 2-1.

Historically, the third-place playoff was introduced in 1934 and has been a feature of most World Cups since, except for the 1950 edition which used a round-robin format. The playoff serves to fill the schedule gap between the semifinals and the final, offering players a chance to secure a bronze medal.