England and France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign is not over just yet.
After falling short in the semifinals, the two teams will meet in the third-place playoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Although many fans view it as little more than a consolation match, the fixture remains an official part of the FIFA World Cup and continues to serve an important purpose.
The Importance of the Bronze Final
The primary purpose of the third-place playoff is to decide which team finishes third and which settles for fourth place.
However, the match carries significance beyond the final standings. Because it is an official FIFA fixture, the result also counts toward the FIFA World Ranking, carrying a greater weighting than international friendlies. The winning team is also awarded bronze medals in recognition of its achievement.
On an individual level, the match offers players one final opportunity to improve their tournament statistics, whether by scoring goals or providing assists. Those contributions can prove decisive in the race for individual honors, particularly the Golden Boot.
Beyond its sporting significance, the match also carries considerable commercial value. It generates additional revenue through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, ticket sales, and global media coverage. For the host nation, the extra fixture also provides an economic boost by attracting more visitors and increasing activity in the tourism and entertainment sectors.
A World Cup Tradition Since 1934
The third-place playoff has been a fixture of the FIFA World Cup for almost a century.
It was first introduced at the 1934 FIFA World Cup, where Germany defeated Austria 3-2 to claim third place.
The inaugural tournament in 1930 did not feature a third-place match. Instead, the United States was later awarded third place based on its overall tournament performance.
The playoff was also absent from the 1950 FIFA World Cup, which used a final group stage rather than the knockout format that is familiar today.
Since the 1954 edition, however, FIFA has consistently staged the third-place playoff as part of the tournament.
A Match That Has Produced Historic Records
Despite its reputation as little more than a consolation game, the third-place playoff has produced some of the most memorable moments in World Cup history.
At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Türkiye striker Hakan Şükür scored after just 11 seconds against South Korea—a record that still stands as the fastest goal ever scored in World Cup history.
Another unforgettable performance came in 1958, when France legend Just Fontaine scored four goals in a 6-3 victory over West Germany. His tally of 13 goals remains the record for the most goals scored by a player in a single FIFA World Cup.
The match has also played a decisive role in the race for the Golden Boot. Eusébio (1966), Salvatore Schillaci (1990), Davor Šuker (1998), and Thomas Müller (2010) all secured the tournament’s top scorer award after adding to their goal totals in the third-place playoff.
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé will each have one final opportunity to boost their Golden Boot hopes.
A Tradition That Divides Opinion
Despite being a long-standing World Cup tradition, the third-place playoff has long divided opinion.
Former Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal once argued that the match should be scrapped, claiming it forces teams to risk ending an otherwise impressive tournament with back-to-back defeats after losing in the semifinals.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate expressed a similar view before England faced Belgium in the third-place playoff at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He admitted that no team truly wants to play another match after missing out on a place in the final.
As a result, many coaches use the occasion to rotate their squads, giving valuable minutes to players who have featured sparingly throughout the tournament.
Not every nation, however, sees the fixture as a burden. For some, finishing third represents a historic achievement. Sweden celebrated its third-place finish at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, while Croatia received a hero’s welcome after securing third place in 1998—the country’s first World Cup appearance as an independent nation.
Love it or loathe it, the third-place playoff remains an integral part of the FIFA World Cup. Beyond determining the final standings, it continues to produce unforgettable moments, influence individual awards, and give teams one last chance to end their World Cup campaign on a high.
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