England take on France in the World Cup 2026 third-place play-off at Miami Stadium on July 18. The match kicks off at 9:30 PM BST, broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Confirmed lineups and team news
England manager Thomas Tuchel made seven changes from the semi-final defeat to Argentina. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham drop to the bench, while Kobbie Mainoo misses out due to injury. The starting XI: D. Henderson; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi; Spence, Rice, Eze, Saka; Rogers; Rashford, Toney. Substitutes include Pickford, Stones, Kane, Bellingham, and Gordon.
France also rotated, with Didier Deschamps naming a strong attack led by Kylian Mbappe. The French lineup: Maignan; Gusto, Konate, Lacroix, Theo Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Rabiot; Olise, Cherki, Doue; Mbappe. Substitutes include Samba, Upamecano, Kounde, Saliba, Tchouameni, Kante, and Dembélé.
Little enthusiasm for the bronze final
Both coaches expressed reluctance about the match. Tuchel said: "None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that." French defender Ibrahima Konate echoed: "Not one of us want to play this game for third place. But we don't have the choice."
Former England captain Alan Shearer criticised the fixture, calling it "absolute nonsense" and noting the players should be on holiday rather than playing in 37-38°C heat in Miami for a meaningless game that only generates more money.
Key storylines: Mbappe eyes Golden Boot
Kylian Mbappe aims to overtake Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. Mbappe also paid tribute to outgoing coach Didier Deschamps, writing on X: "Today is your last dance. You who gave us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed."
England started three Arsenal players (Rice, Saka, Eze) in a World Cup game for the first time since 2002 against Brazil (Seaman, Campbell, Cole). Rice captained the side.
Injury and transfer news
Kobbie Mainoo missed the match due to injury, capping a disappointing tournament for the Manchester United midfielder. Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers, who started the semi-final, is set for a busy week after Chelsea agreed a record £117 million fee for the Aston Villa midfielder.
England and France last met in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, where Harry Kane missed a crucial penalty in a 2-1 defeat. The third-place play-off was criticised by many as unnecessary, with several thousand tickets still unsold before kick-off.
