England and France are scheduled to face each other in the World Cup 2026 third-place play-off, known by Fifa as the Bronze Final, on Saturday in Miami. The winners of France v England will be given bronze medals.
This fixture marks the 103rd of a 104-match tournament, a contest that has been played at every Fifa World Cup for the past 72 years. Both national team camps have expressed initial reluctance regarding the necessity of the match.
Initial Reluctance and Shifting Perspectives
France head coach Didier Deschamps summed up the mood in his camp before the game when he said: “The best for France and England would be for this match not to exist.” England manager Thomas Tuchel had a similar view after the defeat by Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday night, stating: “None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match.”
However, Tuchel addressed the media on Friday with a more positive outlook about the chance to win bronze. He noted: “If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years. It’s a perspective to it.”
The play-off does present an opportunity for players who have struggled for minutes or are yet to feature at the tournament to have their moment on the pitch. Former France and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, who has played 14 minutes for France in the third group game against a heavily-rotated Norway side, is not relishing the prospect of adding to those minutes in Miami.
Konate stated: “Not one of us want to play this game for third place, but we don’t have the choice.”
Potential Lineup Changes for England and France
For England, the game may be used as an opportunity to introduce James Trafford to World Cup football. Alternatively, it could give Kobbie Mainoo his first World Cup minutes in an England shirt. The Bronze Final match could give Kobbie Mainoo a first chance of minutes at a World Cup.
These potential changes highlight how both teams might approach the fixture, balancing the desire for a medal with opportunities for squad members. The fixture also considers the fans who have paid for tickets and travel, expecting the teams to put on a show.
The Bronze Final’s History and Importance
The third-place play-off was first introduced in 1934 and became a regular fixture from 1954. England have competed in it twice since 1966, losing to hosts Italy in 1990 and to Belgium in 2018 in Russia.
Croatia embraced the match in 2022, despite having gone one better in 2018 when they were runners-up to France. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic said after their 2-1 win over Morocco that the victory meant a lot to the team and country, stating: “We won the bronze medal and it has a golden layer.” He added: “It is like we have won the gold medal tonight.”
Croatia’s match-winner that night, Mislav Orsic, described his goal as the most important of his career. Despite some coaches, like Morocco’s Walid Regragui, describing it as a “booby prize”, Fifa maintains the fixture for several reasons.
- It decides who receives the bronze medals and who is officially fourth.
- It affects the official final standings, historical records and player statistics.
- There is a difference in prize money between third and fourth place.
As England and France prepare for the encounter in Miami, the match offers a final competitive outing, despite the initial ambivalence expressed by both coaching staffs.