England and France Battle for Bronze in World Cup Third-Place Playoff Today
The third-place match between the European giants sets the stage for tomorrow's highly anticipated final between Argentina and Spain.
The story
The FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches its penultimate day as England and France clash in the third-place playoff today, Saturday, July 18. Both teams, considered pre-tournament favorites, will vie for a podium finish after their semi-final defeats.
England fell 2-1 to defending champions Argentina, while France suffered a 2-0 loss against Spain. The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:00 PM ET (10:00 PM BST) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
For France, this game marks Didier Deschamps' final match as head coach after nearly 14 years, with Kylian Mbappé still in contention for the Golden Boot, having scored eight goals. England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham also remain in the Golden Boot race with six goals each. Despite the disappointment of missing the final, both sides will be eager to end their World Cup campaigns on a winning note.
Where it stands
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is down to its final two matches, with the third-place playoff taking place today and the grand final scheduled for tomorrow. England and France will compete for third place after both nations were eliminated in the semi-finals.
England lost 2-1 to Argentina, while France was defeated 2-0 by Spain. The highly anticipated final will see South American champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, face European champions Spain.
Argentina reached the final after a challenging knockout stage, including extra-time victories and a 2-1 semi-final win over England. Spain's path to the final included a strong defensive performance, only conceding one goal throughout the tournament before their semi-final win against France.
What we'll be watching
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Third-Place Playoff: England vs. France – Saturday, July 18, 5:00 PM ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Final: Spain vs. Argentina – Sunday, July 19, 3:00 PM ET, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.