Explained: Why England and France are playing for the third place playoff; Golden Boot race, prize money, everything you need to know Football News:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup still has one trophy left to be awarded, but before Spain and Argentina meet in Sunday’s final, England and France will return to the pitch one last time to battle it out in the tournament’s third-place playoff, which is now officially labeled by FIFA as the “bronze ending.”Neither side will end their campaign here. England suffered late heartbreak in a dramatic 2-1 semifinal loss to defending champions Argentina, while France’s hopes of a third World Cup title ended a day earlier after a 2-0 loss to Spain.Although neither country has reached the final they are aiming for, there is a lot at stake when they meet in Miami.

Why does the World Cup have a third place playoff?

The concept is straightforward. The losing semifinalists will play one final match to determine who will finish third and who will finish fourth.For FIFA, this ensures that each team in the final four receives a certain finishing position. It also fills the gap between the semifinals and the final, providing another marquee fixture for supporters, broadcasters and the host city.

While some players saw it as an unwanted extra game after the disappointment of missing the final, others welcomed the opportunity to finish the tournament with a victory and a podium finish. It was also, more often than not, a very exciting contest, a battle between two elite teams that went undefeated deep into the tournament and simply fell at the final hurdle. In the case of England and France, both sides boast world-class attacking talent, Golden Boot contenders, and players capable of scoring hat-tricks on the biggest stage, making this more than just a consolation match.

How long has it existed?

The third place playoff has been part of the history of the World Cup for almost its entire existence. It was first introduced at the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy, where Germany defeated Austria 3-2 to finish third. The game was also held in the 1938 tournament in France, before disappearing in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. That edition used a unique final round-robin group to determine the champion instead of the traditional knockout stage, meaning no semi-finals and therefore no third-place playoff. The fixture returned to the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland and has appeared in every tournament since.Interestingly, there was no third-place playoff in the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, which featured 13 teams from three confederations. However, the losing semi-finalists, the United States and Yugoslavia, were ranked based on their overall tournament records, with the United States officially finishing third and Yugoslavia fourth.

Are these considered in the official records?

Yes. The match is a fully recognized World Cup fixture, meaning that every recorded statistic counts officially.Scored goals contribute to:

One of the most famous examples came in 1958, when France’s Just Fontaine scored four goals in a 6-3 win over West Germany. Those goals took his tally in the tournament to 13, a World Cup record that still stands today.

Why is this year’s game even more important?

The bronze final of this edition could have a major impact on the race for the Golden Boot.After the semifinals, the standings are:

Messi is now ahead because assists act as the first tiebreaker when players finish level on goals. However, since Argentina will not play again until the final, Mbappé will have one more chance to draw level or advance to the playoffs on Saturday. Kane and Bellingham also remain mathematically in contention, although they need more goals.

Is there a trophy?

Not exactly.The winning team officially finishes third and receives bronze medals, but no other trophies are presented.There is, however, a financial incentive.The FIFA prize money for the top four teams is:

This means that the victory in the bronze final is worth an additional $2 million compared to finishing fourth.

How did England and France perform in the previous bronze finals?

France is making its fourth appearance in the game and has enjoyed more success in history.Their past results are:

England, meanwhile, are still looking for their first third-place playoff victory.Their previous appearances ended in defeat.

The most recent bronze final saw Croatia defeat Morocco 2-1 in the 2022 World Cup.

A fixture that usually produces goals

Despite often being labeled as the best match of the tournament, history suggests that the bronze final is rarely short on entertainment.Since Poland’s 1-0 victory over Brazil in 1974, every World Cup third-place playoff has had at least two goals, making it one of the tournament’s most consistently high-scoring matches, a trend that has been reflected in recent editions.

What do managers say?

Neither Thomas Tuchel nor Didier Deschamps hid the disappointment of missing out on the final.Deschamps says: “There is a third-place finish to play for, so we will do everything we can to get it. We are not where we want or expect. The disappointment matches our ambitions, but we have to accept it.”Tuchel admits the emotional challenge both teams face.“None of our players, none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play in the final. We gave everything to be in the final.England and France meet at the Miami Stadium in Florida.For viewers in India, kickoff is set for 2:30 AM IST on Sunday, July 19, as the winner leaves the United States with bronze medals, an additional $2 million in prize money and, perhaps most importantly, the chance to end their World Cup campaign with one last victory before attention turns to Sunday’s blockbuster final between Spain and Argentina.