France vs. England Picks – World Cup Third-Place Playoff Betting Preview, Team News, and Predictions (Jul 18) 

• When: Saturday, July 18, 2026. 5:00 PM ET
• Where: Miami Stadium, USA
• How to Watch: FOX, Telemundo

Match Result	Odds
France	-108
The Draw	+288
England	+288

France vs. England World Cup Preview

The match no nation plans to be involved in is staged in Miami on July 18, as the bronze medal winners will be determined in the Third-Place Playoff. Both England and France will be disappointed to be involved in this fixture, but both will be aiming to end their American journey on a positive.

ALSO SEE: Spain vs. Argentina World Cup Finals Betting Preview, Odds, Predictions (Jul 19)

France Stats & Team News

Legendary coach Didier Deschamps bids farewell to the French national team this weekend, as he takes charge for the final time. France were the standout contender for the World Cup throughout the summer, winning seven straight matches from the start of the group stage.

Their attacking stars have dazzled, with at least two goals scored in all but one of their wins. However, their offensive quality evaded them at the crucial moment in midweek, as they were flat throughout their 2-0 semi-final loss against Spain.

Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and co looked like a group of individuals against a well-drilled team. Defeat saw France miss out on a third straight World Cup final, but a victory would at least mean a positive end to Deschamps’ legendary reign.

Likely Lineup:

(4-2-3-1) Maignan (GK); Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, Digne; Kone, Kante; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe

England Stats & Team News

For much of this summer, there has been a real belief that England could end a 60-year wait for a major honor. A historic win over Mexico at the Azteca was a high point, while the character of the team was displayed throughout, including in their quarterfinal win over Norway.

England’s semi-final against Argentina looked comfortable for an hour, with Anthony Gordon’s opener giving the Three Lions an opportunity to dream. However, the entirety of the blame in midweek will be placed on the shoulders of Thomas Tuchel. The German was brought in to make the big decisions to get the Three Lions over the line, but his tactical changes in midweek spectacularly backfired.

His decision to play five defenders and allow Argentina to attack for half an hour always asked for trouble, and that’s what turned out, with the South Americans scoring twice in the final five minutes. England have exited tournaments against superior teams in the past, but Wednesday wasn’t one of those occasions.

Likely Lineup:

(4-2-3-1) Pickford (GK); Spence, Guehi, Konsa, O’Reilly; Mainoo, Anderson; Rogers, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

Head-to-Head Stats

• England have won two of the three World Cup head-to-head meetings between the nations.
• France have won three of the last five head-to-heads, including a 2-1 success at the 2022 World Cup.

France vs. England World Cup Picks

The manner of England’s defeat in midweek makes them hard to support this weekend. The Three Lions will be emotionally and physically drained, and the sapping heat in Miami won’t be ideal. France’s motivation to give Deschamps a positive send off will get them over the line.

• France (-111)