2026 World Cup: France v England Rivalry Renewed in Playoff

The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s penultimate match was the Third Place Playoff, where historic rivals France and England renewed their rivalry. Both teams suffered defeats in the semifinals, with France falling to Spain and England losing to Argentina. This playoff presented an opportunity for redemption as they battled for bronze in Miami.

France and England had faced each other 32 times prior, with England winning 17 matches, France winning 10, and 5 games ending in draws. Their last encounter occurred in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which France won 2-1, courtesy of goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud.

Players to Watch
France - Kylian Mbappe
- Tournament stats: Appearances: 7, Goals: 8, Assists: 3, Yellow/Red cards: 1/0
Despite the potential for disappointment at this World Cup, regardless of the outcome in the playoff, Mbappe remains a contender for the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards due to his remarkable performances. If he can add a few more goals to his tally and deliver another stellar performance, personal honors could follow.

England - Anthony Gordon
- Tournament stats: Appearances: 6, Goals: 1, Assists: 4, Yellow/Red cards: 0/0
Gordon made significant impacts during the knockout rounds, notably scoring against Argentina. He evidenced his reliability and elite performance, aiming to culminate his successful tournament with a strong display in Miami on Saturday.

Key Statistics
- 14.6: France had the highest expected goals (xG) at the tournament with 14.6 across seven matches.
- 7: While scoring eight goals, Mbappe recorded the most missed "big chances" at the tournament, totaling seven.
- 6: Both Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham notched six goals each—the first time in World Cup history two players from the same team reach this mark.
- 26: England created 26 big chances, the second-best figure only to France's 27.

Tactical Battle
During the playoff, Didier Deschamps’ France was expected to combine structural discipline with attacking freedom, leveraging a balanced and resilient system. Their game plan allowed stars like Mbappe to exploit spaces effectively. In contrast, Thomas Tuchel’s England adopted a more methodical approach focusing on structured possession and territorial control, although recent criticism highlighted a cautious nature in in-game management.

The tactical confrontation would depend on whether Tuchel imparted control or Deschamps capitalized on decisive moments to exploit enemy hesitation.

Broadcast Details
The Third Place Playoff matched France against England on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 9 PM, live on SuperSport World Cup Central.