Star-Studded Bronze Match: Mbappé, Bellingham Lead France-England Third-Place Game

Mbappé and Doué. Bellingham and Kane. A World Cup title isn't on the line, but two heavyweights are still facing off. 

France and England will look to end their respective 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns on high note when they play in the tournament's third-place game on Saturday at Miami Stadium. Both teams are coming off heartbreaking disappointments in the semifinals but will look to turn the page to build momentum for upcoming UEFA Nations League games and eventually Euro 2028.

On Tuesday, France was thoroughly outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Spain, which will take on Argentina in the World Cup final. France's elite offensive players were never able to get into the game, as Spain had all the answers in its airtight system. 

The following day, England suffered its own heartbreak when it took a 1-0 lead over Argentina, only to see La Albiceleste rally with two late goals for a 2-1 win.

Those defeats now set the stage for Saturday, and here is everything you need to know about the World Cup's bronze-medal game.

How To Watch France vs. England

(Photo by FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The third-place match has been a long tradition for the World Cup, even though it is typically played in the context of disappointment. There are exceptions, like at the 1994 World Cup when Sweden defeated Bulgaria in a matchup between teams that were thrilled just to have made the semifinals. The same could be said in 2002 when Türkiye defeated South Korea in the best World Cup run for either team. In those games, there was a very positive atmosphere among teams and players.

This game, however, will not be like those editions because both France and England held ambitious goals to win this tournament. Winning this game offers little consolation