England and France are about to play a match that no one seems to want — and that has been the case for 72 years. The third-place play-off, officially called the Bronze Final by Fifa, pits the two losing semi-finalists against each other for the bronze medal. It's a game that has provoked more debate than almost any other fixture in the tournament, with players, managers and fans sharply divided on whether it serves any purpose.
The basics are simple. Every World Cup since 1934 (and regularly since 1954) has ended with a match to decide who finishes third and fourth. This year it's England against France in Miami. The winner gets bronze medals and official recognition as the third-best team in the world. The loser goes home with nothing — not even the consolation of being called fourth. The match has been played at every World Cup for the last 72 years, making it a curious constant in a tournament built on knockout drama.
“Explains the World Cup third-place play-off, its history, why players dislike it, and the stakes for England.”
Why does it still exist? Fifa doesn't publish a long defence of the fixture, but the reasons generally acknowledged around the tournament are: it decides who finishes third and fourth; it gives fans who bought tickets a guaranteed game; and it offers a chance for lesser-used players to get minutes on the pitch. That last point is real — England manager Thomas Tuchel has hinted he may use the game to give players like James Trafford or Kobbie Mainoo their first taste of a World Cup match. But the mood in both camps is overwhelmingly negative. France head coach Didier Deschamps said before the game: "The best for France and England would be for this match not to exist." Tuchel echoed him after England's semi-final defeat to Argentina, saying: "None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match."
That sentiment is not new. After the 2022 Bronze Final, Morocco coach Walid Regragui called it a "booby prize". But there is another side. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic, whose team beat Morocco 2-1 for bronze in 2022, insisted the medal had "a golden layer." His goalscorer Mislav Orsic called it the most important goal of his career. England captain Harry Kane has not commented publicly, but his team has a chance to record their best World Cup performance on foreign soil if they win — a small point Tuchel stressed the day before the match: "If we win the game tomorrow, we have the best results of a World Cup in 60 years."
For UK readers, this matters because England fans have already shown their frustration. Thomas Tuchel was loudly booed before the match when his name was read out in Miami — a direct backlash after the semi-final loss to Argentina. The third-place game becomes a stage for that anger, but also for potential redemption. The FA and Tuchel will be watching closely; a heavy defeat would deepen the sense of failure, while a bronze medal might soften the criticism. The match also affects how the tournament is remembered by casual fans — and whether the fixture should continue to exist at all.
Q: What is the World Cup Bronze Final? It's the match played between the two losing semi-finalists to decide third and fourth place. It has been a regular fixture since 1954 and is officially called the Bronze Final by Fifa.
Q: Why do players and managers dislike the third-place play-off? Because it comes just days after a devastating semi-final defeat. Most teams feel they have nothing to gain and everything to lose. France coach Didier Deschamps said both teams would prefer the match "not to exist."
Q: Has the Bronze Final ever been positive for a team? Yes. Croatia celebrated their 2-1 win over Morocco in 2022 as a major achievement. Manager Zlatko Dalic said the bronze medal had "a golden layer," and the winning goal was called the most important of the scorer's career.
What happens next? The match is being played now. After it, attention will turn to the World Cup final between Argentina and the other semi-final winner. The result may influence Tuchel's future as England manager — fans have already made their feelings known — and could revive the debate over whether the Bronze Final is worth keeping.