Miami, July 18 (IANS) France and England will conclude their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns on Sunday when they face off in the third-place playoff at Miami Stadium in Florida. After falling short in the semifinals, both European heavyweights will be aiming to finish the tournament on a positive note, even if the bronze-medal contest falls well short of the occasion they had targeted.
France’s hopes of reaching a second successive World Cup final were ended by an impressive Spain side, while England endured a heartbreaking exit after conceding late against defending champions Argentina. Although neither team would have envisioned ending its campaign in a playoff for third place, pride, momentum and a podium finish remain on the line.
The fixture also carries added significance for France manager Didier Deschamps, who will oversee Les Bleus for the 187th and final time after a remarkable 14-year spell in charge. The former World Cup-winning captain leaves behind one of the most successful managerial eras in French football and will hope to sign off with victory.
History slightly favours England, who have won 17 of the previous 32 meetings between the two nations, with five ending in draws. However, France prevailed in their most recent World Cup encounter, edging England 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 edition after Harry Kane missed a crucial late penalty.
France enters the contest with greater consistency behind it and could again lean on the attacking brilliance of Kylian Mbappé, who remains in contention for a second consecutive World Cup Golden Boot. England, led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, possesses enough firepower to trouble any opponent, but it will need a sharper all-round display to deny France a winning farewell for Deschamps.
How to watch France vs England semi-final live in India.
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key details
Date and kick-off time: Wednesday, July 15, 12:30 AM IST
Venue: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Referee: Ivan Barton
Squads:
France –
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Kounde, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram
England –
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders: Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Reece James, Djed Spence, Jarell Quansah
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney
–IANS
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