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France and England will meet in the third place match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 5:00 pm ET from Miami Stadium.
France won all six of its matches before losing the semifinal to Spain, outscoring its opponents by a combined 16-2. Kylian Mbappé led the way with eight goals, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the tournament lead, and added three assists. Michael Olise contributed a tournament-high five assists.
England went 5-1-0 before their own semi-final exit against Argentina. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham each scored six goals and added an assist, each recording two braces along the way. Kane scored twice against Croatia on 17 June and again against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 1 July. Bellingham did the same against Mexico on July 5 and against Norway on July 11.
The third-place match has been part of the World Cup since 1934, the second men’s tournament in history except in 1950. Croatia beat Morocco, 2-1, in the last third-place match, back in 2022.
Below are details on how to watch.
How to watch France against England
France vs England preview
France’s transition defense against Jude Bellingham’s late runs is the key battle.
France even seems more dangerous when the games open. Kylian Mbappé has 8 of France’s 16 goals in this World Cup, meaning England cannot afford sloppy turnovers or broken spaces in midfield when France advances. The real pressure point is what happens just behind that first wave, because Bellingham has equaled the England team record with 6 non-penalty goals and continues to get into scoring spots after the initial action begins.
England are built to create those second-round moments. Harry Kane and the wide service around him can pin down France’s defensive line, and if that forces Aurelien Tchouameni and the centre-backs to collapse, Bellingham will get the pocket it wants. France has the strongest pure scoring power, but England’s best path in the game is to turn those transition moments into a free-arriving midfield runner.
Watch the space at the top of the France box after England’s first pass on attack, because that’s where this match can tip.
Players to watch
The Manchester City attacking midfielder shows great promise for the French team, but he only played limited minutes in this World Cup due to playing behind Michael Olise. If Deschamps is going to turn things around for the third-place match, Cherki would be a good starting point, as he will likely be eager to make a positive impression and create a case for more minutes in the years to come.
The Paris Saint-Germain winger is another testament to the depth of this French team. As one of the most successful young players in the world, with two Champions League titles under his belt by the age of 20 (he turned 21 just before the start of this tournament), he is not a regular starter in France. In this tournament, he only started three of France’s first seven games. In those early days he scored against Norway and assisted against Morocco. He could thrive in this third-place match if he becomes wide open, as is likely. Like Cherki, he is a big part of the team’s future.
The Tottenham full-back has played in all seven of England’s games and has started two. Defensively, he was strong off the bench to help preserve victories over Mexico and Norway in the round of 16. He could be rewarded with a start in this game to try to handle the powerful French attack.
In a game that should be offensively heavy, Rogers should get a chance to show what he can do. The Aston Villa attacker assisted Anthony Gordon’s goal against Argentina and worked well with Jude Bellingham. Rogers normally plays outside when Bellingham is on the field, but moves to the center when Bellingham is not playing. In this game, he could have the keys to the attack if Bellingham is used as a substitute.
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Odds between France and England
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