France Face England in World Cup Third-Place Playoff as Mbappe Chases Golden Boot

France and England will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff on Saturday, with both teams seeking to end their campaigns on a positive note following painful semifinal defeats.

The match will be played at Miami Stadium in Miami, Florida, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 pm local time, or 9:00 pm GMT. In Bangladesh, the match will begin at 3:00 am on Sunday.

France entered the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, but suffered a 2-0 defeat against Spain in the semifinal. England’s hopes of ending their long wait for a major international title were also dashed after a 2-1 loss to defending champions Argentina.

Although neither side had hoped to contest the third-place playoff, the match carries particular significance for France. It will be Didier Deschamps’ final game as national team coach, concluding a 14-year tenure in which he guided France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2022 final, and the 2026 semifinals.

French captain Kylian Mbappe will also have an opportunity to strengthen his challenge for the tournament’s Golden Boot. Mbappe is level with Lionel Messi on eight goals but trails the Argentine captain because of assists. Another goal could also move the French forward closer to the all-time World Cup scoring record.

England will look to leading players such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have each scored six goals during the tournament. However, both teams are expected to rotate their squads and give opportunities to players who have received limited playing time.

France has been identified as the favourite to win the playoff. Pre-match simulations give the French side a 50.7 percent chance of winning within 90 minutes, compared with 25.6 percent for England. The possibility of the match ending level after regulation time stands at 23.7 percent.

The match will be the fourth World Cup meeting between the two European rivals. England won their encounters in 1966 and 1982, while France secured a 2-1 victory in the 2022 quarterfinals.

France will be without injured defender William Saliba and goalkeeper Brice Samba. England midfielder Jordan Henderson is unavailable, while defender Reece James remains doubtful.

Despite the disappointment of missing the final, both teams will aim to finish the tournament with a victory and secure third place before Spain and Argentina contest the World Cup final.