England and France meet at Miami Stadium for the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup, with both nations looking to salvage a medal after a painful semifinal exit.
England head into this match ranked 4th in the FIFA World Rankings, with 1,889.42 points. Thomas Tuchel’s men topped their group with seven points, putting together strong performances that positioned them as genuine title contenders.
They continued their campaign by beating DR Congo in the Round of 32, before knocking out co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16. They then edged Norway 2-1 after extra time in the quarterfinals, before their run came to an end with a painful 2-1 semifinal loss to Argentina, decided late in the match.
France’s ranking
England won’t have it easy in their pursuit of a historic World Cup third place, as they face a France side ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Rankings, with 1,948.97 points.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates a goal for France. (Getty Images)
Didier Deschamps’ men went unbeaten through six matches, topping their group before beating Sweden in the Round of 32 and Paraguay in the Round of 16. They then dispatched Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals, extending their run to a fourth straight semifinal appearance, before falling 2-0 to Spain in Dallas, ending their bid for a third consecutive World Cup final.
see also
How much prize money does the 2026 World Cup third-place winner receive?
England chasing a first-ever World Cup bronze
Beyond the ranking gap, Saturday’s match carries extra weight for England, who have never actually finished third at a World Cup. The Three Lions have reached this exact fixture twice before, losing both times: a 2-1 defeat to Italy in the 1990 third-place match, and a 2-0 loss to Belgium in 2018.
A win over France would give England their best World Cup finish since winning the tournament outright in 1966, and their first podium finish of any kind in the 60 years since.
