France and England will face each other in the third-place play-off (bronze medal match) of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. The match will be the final game of the tournament for both teams after their defeats in the semi-finals.
The third-place play-off gives the losing semi-finalists one last opportunity to finish on the podium by securing the bronze medal.
Although the match is often seen as a consolation fixture, it remains important for FIFA and broadcasters, generating additional revenue and filling a key slot in the tournament schedule.
Goals scored in the third-place play-off also count toward the Golden Boot race, making the match significant for players competing for the tournament’s top scorer award.
According to the current standings, Lionel Messi leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals and four assists, while France’s Kylian Mbappé is second with eight goals and three assists.
England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham remain in contention as well, with six goals each. Notably, in 1958, France’s Just Fontaine set a World Cup record by scoring four goals in the third-place play-off.
The third-place play-off was first introduced at the 1934 FIFA World Cup and has been a regular feature of every tournament since 1954. France has finished third on two previous occasions, while England has yet to win a World Cup third-place play-off.
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