France
World CupWhy this tip?
We predicted both teams to score in both the semi-finals, and I see this fixture ending any other way. Both sides have strong offences and have been lacklustre at the back recently. I predict Les Bleus to claim a hard-fought 2 – 1 win and claim the bronze medal.
Match Preview
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026
- Matchday: 3rd Place
- Date: 18 July 2026
- Kick-off time: 17:00 USA (23:00 SA)
- Venue: Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium)
Match details
France and England are set to face off to determine the third-place team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. The match is set to take place on the 18th of July 2026 at the Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami Gardens, Florida. The match will commence at 17:00 (GMT-4) in Miami, and 23:00 (GMT+2) in South Africa. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is drawing to a close, and if you enjoyed our expert coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, head over to our Topbets World Cup predictions page for our prediction on the final.
Why this match matters
The dejected losers of the semi-finals clash at Miami Gardens to determine which team will leave the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the third-best team. France versus England is one of the most prestigious rivalries in football, and they will now continue their rivalry to determine who will claim the bronze medal at the World Cup.
England will be looking to avenge their 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal defeat to France, which they lost 2 – 1. They have improved their team and will face a drained France team that could not reach their third consecutive World Cup final. Both teams may be upset about not reaching the final, but the chance to be the best third-placed team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will surely make both teams up their game.
France vs England head-to-head stats
Head-to-head record
France and England have one of the most prestigious football rivalries in the world, dating back to 1923, when the two teams first met in an international friendly match. The two have met in three World Cup tournaments, with England winning the first two meetings in the group stage (2 – 0 in 1966 and 3 – 1 in 1982), while France has won the most recent meeting at the quarterfinal stage in Qatar, 2 – 1.
France and England have met 32 times, with England leading the overall head-to-head record (17 – 5 – 10), winning 17, drawing 5, and losing 10 times against France. In their meetings, England has also dominated the goal tally, scoring 73 goals to France’s 42. Their last five matches featured four ending with both teams scoring and three with over 2.5 goals. Their last five matches consisted of:
- 10/12/2022 (2022 World Cup): England 1 – 2 France
- 13/06/2017 (Friendly International): France 3 – 2 England
- 17/11/2015 (Friendly International): England 2 – 0 France
- 11/06/2012 (2012 Euros): France 1 – 1 England
- 17/11/2010 (Friendly International): England 1 – 2 France
France’s recent form
France’s last five matches: WWWWL–
France is in great form heading to the third-place playoff at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having won four and lost one of their last five games against teams such as:
- 14/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): France 0 – 2 Spain
- 09/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): France 2 – 0 Morocco
- 04/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): France 1 – 0 Paraguay
- 30/06/2026 (FIFA World Cup): France 3 – 0 Sweden
- 26/06/2026 (FIFA World Cup): Norway 1 – 4 France
Since the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France had won all of their matches before their defeat to Spain at the semi-finals. France’s World Cup campaign started off with a solid second-half performance against Senegal, securing all three points. They followed up that defeat with comprehensive wins over Iraq and Norway, claiming nine points in the Group stage.
They have been near perfect in their knockout rounds, putting three past Sweden before claiming a hard-fought win over Paraguay, without conceding in either match. They continued their perfect form by repeating their 2022 FIFA World Cup result, defeating Morocco 2 – 0 to book their spot in the semi-finals. However, they were outperformed by a resilient Spanish outfit that did not allow France to play their normal game.
In their last five outings, France scored 10 goals and conceded three times. Two of the five matches ended with over 2.5 goals, and four matches featured just one side scoring.
England’s recent form
England’s last five matches: WWWDL–
England are in good form heading to the third-place playoff match, having won three, lost once and drawn once against teams such as:
- 15/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): England 1 – 2 Argentina
- 11/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): Norway 1 – 2 England AET
- 06/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): Mexico 2 – 3 England
- 01/07/2026 (FIFA World Cup): England 2 – 1 DR Congo
- 27/06/2026 (FIFA World Cup): Panama 0 – 2 England
England is in decent form and has only lost a single match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They began their World Cup with a solid showing over Croatia before picking up a point over a defensively solid Ghanaian outfit. England bounced back against Panama, securing top spot in their group.
They were strong in the knockout rounds, picking up solid wins over the DRC and co-hosts Mexico before defeating a strong Norwegian side in the quarter finals. Their journey to the finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was put to an end against a resilient Argentine side that scored two late goals and won the match.
Their defensive solidity has been at the World Cup, conceding two against Croatia in their World Cup opener, Mexico at the Azteca and two late goals against Argentina. England’s last five matches saw them concede 6 times while scoring 9 goals. England’s set-piece routines were pivotal to most of their chances and goals in their last five, with skipper Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham leading their goal-scoring charts.
Team news
France team news
Injuries: William Saliba (Back Injury)
Suspensions: N/A
Key players to watch: I cannot wait to see what Kylian Mbappé will do against a world-class English defence. He is France’s primary goal threat, and his explosive pace and off-the-ball movements have been vital in France’s charge at the World Cup. Michael Olise and Désiré Doué will be tasked to stretch the game and create open spaces for Mbappe’s runs to exploit the English defence. They tend to control their respective flanks, utilising their elite overlapping runs and 1v1 dribbling to add depth to the French attack. Adrien Rabiot is the main player in the French midfield and tactical defensive coverage and quick transitions of the ball to Ousmane Dembele to create goal-scoring opportunities. He serves as one of the main outlets to the French attack, utilising his explosive speed to cause problems for the defence. The imposing presence of Maxence Lacroix and Dayot Upamecano will be pivotal in controlling the English attack and stopping central passing lanes.
England team news
Injuries: Jordan Henderson (Broken Wrist) & Valentino Livramento (Hamstring Strain)
Suspensions: Jarell Quansah (Red Card)
Key players to watch: England captain Harry Kane, who spearheads the English attack and will be eager to add to his seven-goal tally. His ability to drop deep to dictate play and draw in defenders will prove pivotal in creating chances by unleashing their attacking midfielder, Jude Bellingham, who is the main architect in their attacking transitions. Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon should use the spaces to add depth to the English attack and run behind defenders to create goalscoring opportunities. Declan Rice will be key in stopping the line-breaking passes to Mbappé. He will be pivotal in recycling the ball and creating key passes for his attackers. With Jarell Quansah missing, John Stones may be needed in the central spaces. His experience will allow him to shift their shape and play with a back three off the ball if needed.
Predicted lineups
France predicted XI
Didier Deschamps will not change a winning strategy and will feature Le Bleus in a highly disciplined, possession-oriented 4-2-3-1 formation. Their pace out wide will be pivotal in breaking England’s compact defensive block. France will rely on fluid positional rotations to disrupt England’s defensive compactness with runs behind by their captain. We predict the Le Bleus starting XI to feature:
Mike Maignan (G) – Jules Koundé – Dayot Upamecano – Maxence Lacroix – Lucas Digne – Aurélien Tchouaméni – Adrien Rabiot – Ousmane Dembélé – Michael Olise – Désiré Doué – Kylian Mbappé (C).
England predicted XI
Thomas Tuchel’s England team are generally a defensive side that looks to use inverted overloads on the flanks to take an early lead and to compact defensive transitions to hold on to it. England have been defensively solid at the back and will look to continue their impressive record. We predict the Three Lions to feature a highly disciplined, possession-oriented 4-2-3-1 formation with their starting XI featuring:
Jordan Pickford (G) – Reece James – John Stones – Marc Guéhi – Djed Spence – Declan Rice – Elliot Anderson – Bukayo Saka – Jude Bellingham – Anthony Gordon – Harry Kane (C).
Best betting markets for France vs England
Match winner
Prediction: France to win @ 23/20 (2.15) at BetXchange.
Over/Under goals
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals @ 62/100 (1.62) at BetXchange.
Both teams to score
Prediction: Both teams to score Yes @ 55/100 (1.55) at BetXchange.
Anytime goalscorer
Prediction: Kylian Mbappé to score anytime @ 13/10 (2.30) at BetXchange.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup may be drawing to a close, but the world of football does not stop. If you enjoyed our World Cup coverage, please check out our Topbets Football Predictions page on our website for our tips on all the footie action.
France vs England prediction
Best bet
Prediction: BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals @ 8/10 (1.80) at BetXchange.
Correct score prediction
Prediction: Match to end 2 – 1 to France @ 9/1 (10.00) at WSB.
Match analysis and verdict
France and England will look to bounce back after their devastating losses in the semi-finals to Spain and Argentina, respectively. Both sides have been impressive in front of goal and have scored in all but one of their respective World Cup matches.
We predicted both teams to score in both the semi-finals, and I see this fixture ending any other way. Both sides have strong offences and have been lacklustre at the back recently. I predict Les Bleus to claim a hard-fought 2 – 1 win and claim the bronze medal.
Writer/Betting Tipster
I have been in the iGaming industry for a decade and am an avid sports bettor and fan. I have expanded my betting knowledge to create articles on the iGaming industry focusing on online casino content and sports betting analysis for several regions, including South Africa. I cover various sports, including Soccer, Cricket and Horse Racing. All my predictions, tips and insights are thoroughly researched and I aim to help fellow punters in beating the bookies!
