FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Place Play-Off: Date, Time, Teams and How to Watch
France are in the World Cup 2026 third place play-off after losing 2-0 to Spain in the first semifinal on Tuesday. They face England, who lost 2-1 to Argentina on Wednesday, in what FIFA officially calls the Bronze Final.
FIFA lists this as Match 103. Kickoff is Saturday, July 18 at 5:00 PM ET at Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium), 24 hours before the World Cup 2026 Final at MetLife Stadium. The winner takes third place and $29 million.
World Cup 2026 Third Place Play-Off Quick Facts
| Match | Match 103, Bronze Final |
| Teams | France vs England |
| Date | Saturday, July 18, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 5:00 PM ET (21:00 UTC) |
| Venue | Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium), Miami Gardens, Florida |
| Capacity | 64,478 (FIFA tournament configuration) |
| Format | 90 minutes, extra time, then penalties |
| Prize | $29 million for third, $27 million for fourth |
| TV Channels | USA: FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish) | BBC One (UK) |
| Final | Spain vs Argentina, Sunday, July 19, 3:00 PM ET |
Who Plays in the World Cup 2026 Third Place Play-Off
France play England in the Bronze Final. France lost 2-0 to Spain, and England lost 2-1 to Argentina in the semifinals.
| Semifinal | Match | Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | France vs Spain | Tue, July 14 | Dallas Stadium, Arlington | Spain won 2-0 |
| Semifinal 2 | England vs Argentina | Wed, July 15 | Atlanta Stadium | Argentina won 2-1 |
How France got here
Spain were the better side in Dallas. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal, and Pedro Porro doubled the lead in the 58th. France managed just two shots and none on target before that goal, and Kylian Mbappe was shackled all night. It was their first time trailing in the entire tournament, ending a run of 358 minutes without conceding.
William Saliba limped off injured in the 30th minute, so his fitness for Miami is uncertain.
Spain go through to their first World Cup final since 2010, now unbeaten in 37 matches across all competitions, equalling Italy’s all-time record for a European nation.
How England got here
England join France in Miami after a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday. Anthony Gordon put them ahead in the 55th minute, but Enzo Fernandez levelled with a long range strike in the 85th and Lautaro Martinez headed home a Lionel Messi cross in stoppage time. It was a cruel way to lose a semifinal.
The Bronze Final is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup quarterfinal, which France won 2-1. It is also familiar, painful territory for England: Thomas Tuchel’s side lost the 2018 third place play-off to Belgium and go again after their late collapse in Atlanta.
World Cup 2026 3rd Play-Off Schedule
Here are the key details for the World Cup 2026 third place play-off in one place.
| Match | Fixture | Date | Kickoff (ET) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third Place Play-Off | France vs England | Sat, July 18 | 5:00 PM | Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium) |
The Golden Boot Race Runs to the Final Day
Mbappe did not score against Spain and stays on eight goals, level with Lionel Messi at the top of the adidas Golden Boot standings. Messi set up Lautaro Martinez’s winner against England, so the two men are still tied at the summit heading into the final weekend. FIFA ranks goals first, then assists, then fewer minutes played.
| Player | Country | Goals | Assists | Next Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappe | France | 8 | 3 | Bronze Final, July 18 |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 | 3 | Final, July 19 |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | 7 | 0 | Eliminated |
| Harry Kane | England | 6 | 0 | Bronze Final, July 18 |
| Jude Bellingham | England | 6 | 0 | Bronze Final, July 18 |
The order of play shapes the race. Mbappe goes first in the Bronze Final on Saturday, July 18, in a direct duel with England captain Harry Kane, who is chasing on six goals. Messi then answers in the Final on Sunday, July 19, knowing exactly what he needs. Jude Bellingham, also on six, is another outside contender in Miami.
For Messi, at 39, that Final will almost certainly be the last World Cup match of his career.
Deschamps’ Last Match in Charge
Didier Deschamps steps down as France coach after this tournament, closing a 14-year tenure. He won the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final in 2022, and now his farewell is a third place play-off in Miami. France will want to send him out with a bronze medal rather than back to back defeats.
Where the Third Place Play-Off is Played
The match is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. FIFA calls it Miami Stadium during the tournament, because commercial sponsor names are not used at World Cup venues.
Key details you should know:
- FIFA confirmed a tournament capacity of 64,478, one of the smallest of the 11 US venues.
- It is the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
- A canopy roof shades most seats but leaves the pitch open. There is no air conditioning.
- It sits about 25 km (16 miles) north of downtown Miami.
- Miami International Airport is roughly 20 to 25 minutes away by car.
- There is no metro station nearby. Most fans drive, use rideshare, or take Brightline to Aventura plus a shuttle.
Miami hosts seven matches at this World Cup, and the Bronze Final is its last. England already played there in the quarterfinals, beating Norway 2-1 in extra time.
Expect heat and humidity. Mid-July afternoons in South Florida regularly hit 32 to 35 degrees Celsius with humidity above 80 percent, and both teams will be playing their seventh match in five weeks.
How to Watch the World Cup 2026 Third Place Play-Off
The Bronze Final is free to air in most major markets. In the United States it airs on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish, and in the United Kingdom it is on BBC One.
| Country | Channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| United States | FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish) | Fox One, Peacock |
| United Kingdom | BBC One | BBC iPlayer |
| Canada | TSN, CTV, RDS (French) | TSN+, Crave |
| Mexico | TelevisaUnivision, TV Azteca | ViX, Azteca Deportes |
| France | TF1, beIN Sports | TF1+ |
| Australia | SBS | SBS On Demand, Optus Sport |
| Germany | ARD or ZDF | ARD Mediathek, ZDF Mediathek |
| Spain | RTVE | RTVE Play |
| MENA | beIN Sports | beIN Connect |
In the UK, the BBC and ITV split coverage of the whole tournament, and BBC One carries the third place play-off on its own before both networks share the Final on July 19.
FIFA’s official broadcast partners also stream the first 10 minutes of every match free on YouTube worldwide, and that includes the Bronze Final. FIFA+ does not carry live matches, only highlights and behind the scenes content, so do not plan your Saturday around it.
For a full country by country breakdown, see our how to watch World Cup 2026 guide.
Third Place Play-Off Kickoff Time in Your Time Zone
Kickoff is 21:00 UTC on Saturday, July 18. Here is when it starts where you are.
| City | Local Kickoff |
|---|---|
| Miami, New York, Toronto | 5:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Chicago | 4:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Denver | 3:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Los Angeles | 2:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Mexico City | 3:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo | 6:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| London, Lagos | 10:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Johannesburg | 11:00 PM, Sat July 18 |
| Doha | 12:00 AM, Sun July 19 |
| Dubai | 1:00 AM, Sun July 19 |
| New Delhi | 2:30 AM, Sun July 19 |
| Dhaka | 3:00 AM, Sun July 19 |
| Tokyo, Seoul | 6:00 AM, Sun July 19 |
| Sydney | 7:00 AM, Sun July 19 |
Across much of Asia it lands overnight into Sunday morning, so set an alarm.
What the Third Place Play-Off Is Worth
FIFA has committed a record $871 million to the 2026 prize fund, nearly double the $440 million paid out in Qatar.
| Finish | Performance Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Champion | $50 million |
| Runner-up | $33 million |
| Third place | $29 million |
| Fourth place | $27 million |
| Quarterfinal exit | $19 million |
Just $2 million separates third from fourth, and every team also receives a $2.5 million preparation grant on top of its performance prize.
Beyond the money, third place brings FIFA ranking points and a bronze medal. France won the World Cup in 2018 and finished runners-up in 2022, so a podium in 2026 would cap a remarkable run of three straight deep tournaments.
Want to predict how the whole podium finishes? Try our World Cup 2026 bracket simulator.
Rules and Format
The World Cup 2026 third place play-off follows standard knockout rules.
- 90 minutes of regulation time.
- Two 15-minute periods of extra time if the score is level.
- A penalty shootout if still level after 120 minutes.
- No replays. One match decides it.
- Five substitutions in three windows, plus a sixth in extra time.
- Concussion substitutions are separate and do not count toward the five.
Yellow card suspensions were wiped after the quarterfinals. Mbappe was booked against Spain, but a single caution carries no ban, so he is free to play in Miami.
FIFA also introduced new rules for 2026 that you will see on Saturday:
- The 10-second substitution rule. A player being replaced has 10 seconds to leave the pitch.
- The 8-second goalkeeper rule. A keeper who holds the ball too long concedes a corner.
- A connected match ball with a motion sensor that feeds data to VAR.
- Expanded VAR, now covering wrongly awarded corners and cards shown to the wrong player.
France last played on Tuesday and England on Wednesday, so both get only three to four days to recover before Saturday. That short turnaround is why the Bronze Final often produces open, high scoring football.
Third Place Play-Off Winners Since 1994
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Croatia | 2-1 | Morocco |
| 2018 | Belgium | 2-0 | England |
| 2014 | Netherlands | 3-0 | Brazil |
| 2010 | Germany | 3-2 | Uruguay |
| 2006 | Germany | 3-1 | Portugal |
| 2002 | Turkey | 3-2 | South Korea |
| 1998 | Croatia | 2-1 | Netherlands |
| 1994 | Sweden | 4-0 | Bulgaria |
Croatia are the defending bronze medallists after beating Morocco 2-1 in Doha in December 2022.
Note the scorelines. Seven of the last eight bronze finals produced three or more goals, an average of 3.6 per match. Tired legs and no fear of losing tend to open a game up.
England know the pain of this fixture. They lost the 2018 play-off to Belgium in St Petersburg, and Wednesday’s late defeat to Argentina drops them right back into it.
Tickets
FIFA sells official tickets through FIFA.com/tickets. Remaining seats move through the official FIFA Resale Marketplace, which stays open until one hour before kickoff. For the full category breakdown, see our World Cup 2026 ticket prices guide.
Face values for the third place play-off started at about $165 for the cheapest category and rose to roughly $1,100 for Category 1, with fees on top. FIFA is using dynamic pricing for the first time at a World Cup, so the number moves with demand. With two heavyweight names confirmed, expect prices to climb.
Seat categories in 2026 reflect how high a seat sits, not how close it is to the pitch, so Category 4 in the upper corners is the cheapest. A $60 Supporter Entry Tier exists but is allocated through national federations, not sold to the public. There are no sales at the stadium, so buy only through FIFA’s official channels.
FAQ About World Cup 2026 Third Place Play-Off
Who is in the World Cup 2026 third place play-off?
France play England in the third place play-off. France lost 2-0 to Spain and England lost 2-1 to Argentina in the semifinals. The match is Saturday, July 18 at 5:00 PM ET in Miami.
What happens if the third place play-off is a draw?
The teams play 30 minutes of extra time, split into two 15-minute halves. If the score is still level, a penalty shootout decides third place. There are no replays at the World Cup.
Why does FIFA still play a third place match?
Three reasons. It gives fans one extra match and broadcasters one more window. It awards a real medal and a $2 million prize gap. And it gives a beaten semifinalist a chance to end the tournament with a win instead of a loss.
Do players get medals for finishing third?
Yes. The winning squad receives bronze medals in an on pitch ceremony. The fourth place team receives no medal, which is a big part of why the match is more competitive than people expect.
Can Kylian Mbappe still win the Golden Boot?
Yes. He has eight goals, level with Messi at the top. The Bronze Final on July 18 is his last match, so anything he scores in Miami counts. Messi plays the Final the next day, so he will know exactly what he needs.
Where is the 2026 World Cup Final played?
The Final is Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which FIFA calls New York New Jersey Stadium. Kickoff is 3:00 PM ET. Spain face Argentina, who beat England 2-1 in the semifinals.
Has a host nation ever won the third place play-off?
Yes, three times. Chile beat Yugoslavia 1-0 at home in 1962. Italy beat England 2-1 in 1990. Germany beat Portugal 3-1 in 2006. No 2026 co-host reached the semifinals, so the United States, Mexico and Canada are all out of contention this year.
The World Cup 2026 third place play-off pits France against England in Miami, a rematch of their 2022 quarterfinal and a farewell for Didier Deschamps.
It also keeps the Golden Boot race alive, with Mbappe going first on Saturday and Messi responding in Sunday’s Final.
Kickoff is Saturday, July 18 at 5:00 PM ET, live on FOX, Telemundo and BBC One. Bookmark this page for confirmed lineups and team news as the match nears.
