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France and England will face off in the World Cup third place match on Saturday, with both teams failing to win their semi-finals and advance to the tournament final. France lost to Spain in the semi-final, while England lost to Argentina.
So the two are playing for a consolation prize on Saturday at Miami Stadium. But the third-place matchup isn’t just about avoiding finishing fourth in the history books. There is something at stake, even if it’s not the World Cup trophy.
The bronze match still counts for the Golden Boot
Four players participating in the third-place match at the 2026 World Cup are in the race for the Golden Boot. French striker Kylian Mbappé is currently leading with eight goals, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. But England striker Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham scored six goals each, as did French striker Ousmane Dembélé.
With Mbappé now in the lead, a huge game from any of these other three players could propel them to the top of the table and at least give them a chance at the Golden Boot this World Cup.
(Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
What do the teams get by winning the final match for bronze?
The four teams remaining at the World Cup each receive a monetary reward, but the final ranking determines how much money a team will earn. The fourth-placed team at the 2026 World Cup will earn $27 million, while the third-placed team will receive an additional $2 million in the bank, or $29 million.
There is also pride and history
England’s best World Cup result came in 1966, when they won the tournament for the first and only time. It is also the only time that England reached the final, and in two previous trips to the semi-finals, a fourth place was the end result, most recently in 2018.
For France, this is the last match coached by Didier Deschamps, World Cup winner leading France in 2018. What better way to go out than with a victory?
How to watch France vs England
