France and England will contest the third-place match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 18, with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. The match features a $2 million bonus for the winning team and bronze medals, in addition to a potential final push for the Golden Boot by French star Kylian Mbappé.
Mbappé is currently tied for the tournament's lead in goals with Lionel Messi, who will play in the final. France entered the tournament as favorites and advanced through the early stages allowing only two goals. However, their semifinal match against Spain saw their offense and defense unable to match the European champions, resulting in a 2-0 loss.
England's semifinal game was against Argentina. The English team held a 1-0 lead late into the match, but Argentina scored twice in the final minutes to secure a 2-1 victory, a comeback that has become a trend in this World Cup.
The third-place match will be broadcast on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish. It can be streamed via DIRECTV, which offers a five-day free trial. The Choice plan includes FOX, FS1, and Telemundo.
France's path to the semifinals included victories over Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0), Norway (4-1), Sweden (3-0), Paraguay (1-0), and Morocco (2-0). Their only loss prior to the semifinal was against Spain.
England's World Cup results saw them defeat Croatia (4-2), draw with Ghana (0-0), and beat Panama (2-0) in the group stage. They then advanced past Congo DR (2-1) in the Round of 32, Mexico (3-2) in the Round of 16, and Norway (2-1) in the Quarterfinals, before their semifinal loss to Argentina.