France and England will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place play-off on Saturday, July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Stadium) in Miami. Kick-off is at 5:00 PM ET (10:00 PM BST).
Both teams lost in the semi-finals — France to Spain and England to Argentina — and will now battle for the bronze medal. Managers often rotate for this fixture, but Golden Boot contenders are still expected to feature.
In Saturday’s third-place playoff, having been completely smothered by European champion Spain in its World Cup semifinal.
Despite the squad rotation, captain Kylian Mbappé is highly motivated to lead the line. He is currently tied at the top of the World Cup Golden Boot race with eight goals and will look to clear himself of Lionel Messi.
From England World Cup Squad, head coach Thomas Tuchel is expected to make significant rotations to refresh a tired squad, but both Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are likely to keep their starting spots. Both players have six goals each, chasing tournament leaders Mbappé and Messi, who are on eight apiece.
France Starting XI vs England Lineup
Here is France’s projected lineup in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
- Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
- Defenders: Malo Gusto, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, Theo Hernández
- Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, N’Golo Kanté
- Attackers: Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé
- Striker: Kylian Mbappé
France Injury Update
William Saliba is ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after being forced off early in the semi-final against Spain. He is the only confirmed long-term absentee.
Brice Samba is under assessment but is not expected to challenge Mike Maignan for the starting spot. The rest of the squad is largely available, giving Didier Deschamps plenty of options.
Kylian Mbappé is expected to start as he continues his chase for the Golden Boot (he currently has eight goals).
Possible alternatives: Jules Koundé could start at right-back instead of Gusto, while Aurélien Tchouaméni or Manu Koné may come into midfield. Bradley Barcola is another strong option on the left wing.
England Starting XI vs France Lineup
Here is England’s projected lineup in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
- Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford
- Defenders: Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly
- Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice
- Attackers: Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon
- Striker: Harry Kane
Injury Absences:
Midfielder Jordan Henderson is completely unavailable following surgery on a freak arm injury sustained while celebrating a win over Mexico earlier in the tournament.
Late fitness concerns surround defender Reece James, who is a major doubt after sustaining a muscle strain in the second half of the semifinal loss to Argentina.
Key Notes
Deschamps is expected to keep a strong attacking core because of the Golden Boot race involving Mbappé and the desire to finish the tournament on a high. However, some rotation in defence and midfield is likely after a long campaign.
England are also expected to make several changes, with Thomas Tuchel balancing rest and the chance for players to end the tournament with a medal.
Historical H2H Advantage:
History favors Les Bleus, as England has only beaten France once in their last nine attempts across all competitions (6 losses, 2 draws). They also haven’t beaten France in a major tournament since the 1982 World Cup.
Match Prediction
France are slight favourites. A 2-1 win for France looks the most likely outcome, with Mbappé expected to be involved in the scoring.
