France vs England: The Fierce Battle for World Cup Bronze Glory Explained

Both England and France saw their World Cup journeys end this week with gut-wrenching semifinal losses to Argentina and Spain respectively. Yet, the tournament isn't entirely finished for either side.

The World Cup final is scheduled for this Sunday at MetLife Stadium, but one more match remains before the main event arrives.

On Saturday in Miami, the tournament's 103rd fixture pits France against England in what is commonly referred to as the "bronze final"—previously called the third-place playoff ahead of the 2026 edition.

The match occupies a peculiar place in World Cup history, having featured in all but two previous tournaments. While it supposedly represents a genuine battle for third place, in practice it tends to be little more than an elaborate friendly between two worn-out and deflated nations.

What's at Stake in the Bronze Final?

FIFA's own online preview suggests that "both sides [are] eyeing up a place on the World Cup podium after losing in the semifinals", though that paints a rather optimistic picture of the motivation on display.

Given the option, both England and France would almost certainly prefer to bypass the occasion altogether and return home after weeks of grueling competition that ultimately ended in heartbreak. The prospect of shaking FIFA president Gianni Infantino's hand and receiving a third-place medal is hardly the comfort either side is looking for.

Never one to mince his words, England boss Thomas Tuchel made his feelings clear following the defeat to Argentina.

"None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match," he told the media. "They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that's how it is. We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism."

In what will become a future trivia footnote, the match will mark Didier Deschamps's farewell as France manager, with the 57-year-old due to step aside after 14 years at the helm.

Both squads are expected to make significant changes for the occasion, with fringe players typically handed opportunities as a reward for their contributions throughout the tournament.

Kylian Mbappé, however, may be one player eager to feature, with the Real Madrid forward still in contention for the Golden Boot. He is currently level with Lionel Messi on eight goals, but falls behind the Argentina skipper on the tiebreaker: assists (four to three).

Mbappé may be hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Just Fontaine, who holds the record for most goals in a single World Cup with 13, having netted four times in the 1958 bronze final.

History of the Third-Place Playoff

France will be appearing in their fourth third-place playoff, having previously claimed victory in the match at the 1958 World Cup against West Germany and again in 1986 against Belgium. Les Bleus fell to Poland in 1982.

England, meanwhile, will take part in the fixture for the third time, having previously suffered defeats to Italy in 1990 and Belgium in 2018. Despite Tuchel's reservations, England have the opportunity to make history on Saturday by claiming a spot on the World Cup podium for the first time.

At the most recent third-place playoff at the 2022 World Cup, Croatia defeated Morocco 2–1, with Joško Gvardiol and Mislav Oršić finding the net for the victors in Qatar.

Germany holds the record for the most third-place finishes in World Cup history with four.

Every Bronze Final in World Cup History

When Is the World Cup's Bronze Final?

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Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.