England and France to contest $2m Bronze Final neither side wants
England and France will play a World Cup third-place play-off in Miami that both teams have publicly rejected, exposing the tension between FIFA's commercial demands and elite European football.
England and France meet in Miami on Saturday for the World Cup third-place play-off. It is a fixture both squads have openly said they do not want to participate in.
France head coach Didier Deschamps stated that "the best for France and England would be for this match not to exist." England manager Thomas Tuchel agreed after his side's semi-final defeat, noting "none of our players and none of the French players want to play this match." Defender Ibrahima Konate was equally blunt: "Not one of us want to play this game for third place. But we don't have the choice."
That choice ultimately rests with FIFA. The fixture is the 103rd match of an expanded 104-game tournament, serving a clear financial and logistical purpose. A $2m prize money gap separates third and fourth place, and the game provides an additional broadcast window for commercial partners.
For the players, the match offers a rare opportunity. England may use the occasion to give James Trafford his first World Cup minutes or introduce Kobbie Mainoo. Konate, meanwhile, has played just 14 minutes for France at the tournament.
By Friday, Tuchel had shifted his focus to the historical significance of the match for English football. "If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years. It's a perspective to it," he said. England has reached the Bronze Final only twice since 1966, losing to Italy in 1990 and Belgium in 2018.
The fixture has long divided European managers. Louis van Gaal called it unfair before the 2014 match, arguing a team could "go home as a loser" after a strong tournament. Morocco head coach Walid Regragui labelled it a "booby prize" in 2022.
Yet, the match holds tangible value for some nations and individual players. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic said after winning in 2022: "We won the bronze medal and it has a golden layer." The game also routinely delivers high scoring, with 11 of the last 12 play-offs producing more than three goals. As FIFA considers expanding to a 64-team, 128-match tournament, the debate over the Bronze Final's necessity will only intensify.
