France vs England: World Cup 3rd Place

France face England on Saturday, July 18, 2026, in the World Cup third-place playoff — a match with no trophy on the line, but rich in history between two major European football nations, both eliminated in the semi-finals.

When and where to watch

Kick-off is at 21:00 UTC (11:00 PM in Paris, 10:00 PM in London, 5:00 PM local time in Miami) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida — a venue that also hosted several group-stage and knockout matches at this World Cup. The final between Spain and Argentina follows the next day, July 19, at MetLife Stadium.

Both teams' road to this match

Here's a match-by-match summary of both teams' campaigns so far:

France

• Group stage: 3-1 vs Senegal, 3-0 vs Iraq, 4-1 vs Norway
• Round of 32: 3-0 vs Sweden
• Round of 16: 1-0 vs Paraguay
• Quarter-final: 2-0 vs Morocco
• Semi-final: 0-2 vs Spain

England

• Group stage: 4-2 vs Croatia, 0-0 vs Ghana, 2-0 vs Panama
• Round of 32: 2-1 vs DR Congo
• Round of 16: 3-2 vs Mexico
• Quarter-final: 2-1 vs Norway (ending Erling Haaland's tournament)
• Semi-final: 1-2 vs Argentina

Head-to-head history between France and England

Here are the key numbers ahead of this 33rd meeting between the two nations:

• 32 meetings in total, with a slight English edge: 17 wins, 10 for France, 5 draws
• Most of England's wins date back to before 1950
• France unbeaten in 7 of their last 8 games against England (5 wins, 2 draws), the only exception being a friendly defeat at Wembley in 2015
• At World Cup level: England won in 1966 (2-0) and 1982 (3-1), then France won 2-1 in the quarter-final in Qatar in 2022 — their last official meeting before this match

Probable lineups

Didier Deschamps is expected to stick with the 4-2-3-1 system used in the semi-final against Spain:

• Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
• Defense: Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne
• Midfield: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot
• Attack: Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, behind Kylian Mbappé

Thomas Tuchel is likely to field a similar 4-2-3-1 to the one used against Argentina:

• Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford
• Defense: Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Djed Spence
• Midfield: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson
• Attack: Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, behind Harry Kane

What's at stake: Deschamps' farewell and the Golden Boot race

Symbolically, this match is expected to be Didier Deschamps' last in charge of France, with Zinédine Zidane set to take over after this World Cup following more than a decade at the helm of Les Bleus. On an individual level, the match also carries real weight in the Golden Boot race: Kylian Mbappé is tied at the top with Lionel Messi on 8 goals each, but the Spain-Argentina final is played a day after this match, giving Mbappé a chance to move ahead alone before Messi gets his last shot at goal. Harry Kane has 6 goals and Jude Bellingham 4, with both hoping to add to their tallies before the tournament ends. Ousmane Dembélé, France's second-top scorer with 5 goals, also remains one of Les Bleus' key attacking threats.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the France vs England match?

Kick-off is at 21:00 UTC — 11:00 PM in Paris and 10:00 PM in London — on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Where is the 2026 World Cup third-place match being played?

The match is played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Is this Didier Deschamps' last match as France coach?

Yes, barring a last-minute change, this third-place match is expected to be Didier Deschamps' final game in charge of France, ahead of Zinédine Zidane's confirmed arrival.

Who is leading the Golden Boot race before this match?

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are tied at the top with 8 goals each, ahead of Harry Kane (6 goals) and Ousmane Dembélé (5 goals).

What is the head-to-head record between France and England?

Across 32 meetings, England lead 17 wins to 10, with 5 draws, though France remain unbeaten in seven of their last eight games against the Three Lions.