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France and England will face off in the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday (July 18) at Miami Stadium in Florida, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. ET. The match, often considered a consolation fixture, carries extra intrigue this year as Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane compete for the tournament's Golden Boot, and France’s longtime coach Didier Deschamps leads his team for the final time.
Whether you're at home, at work, or on the go, you can listen to every minute of the action live on iHeartRadio.
How To Listen Live On iHeartRadio
Fans can follow the match live by listening on the iHeartRadio app.
To listen:
- Open the iHeartRadio app.
- Search for World Cup.
- Select the official World Cup Station.
- Press Play to hear the match live.
You can also tune in through your connected car, smart speaker, desktop, or tablet, making it easy to follow every moment wherever you are.
Coverage includes:
- Live play-by-play
- Pregame analysis
- Halftime coverage
- Postgame reaction
- Expert commentary
- Breaking tournament news and updates
Both teams enter the match after disappointing semifinal exits—France fell 2-0 to Spain, while England narrowly lost 2-1 to Argentina. Neither side originally wanted to play in this match, but individual and team milestones remain at stake.
For France, the game marks the end of an era as Deschamps steps down after 14 years as head coach, during which he led Les Bleus to a World Cup title in 2018 and another final in 2022. Deschamps said, "We're not where we wanted or expected to be. The disappointment matches our ambitions, but we have to accept it." The French squad is also motivated by Mbappé’s chase for the Golden Boot—he is currently tied with Lionel Messi at eight goals, just one shy of the all-time World Cup record.
England, meanwhile, seeks its best World Cup finish since winning the trophy in 1966. Both Kane and Jude Bellingham have six goals each, keeping them in the Golden Boot conversation. England coach Thomas Tuchel commented, "None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve that." The teams are likely to rotate lineups, giving minutes to less-used players, though star forwards are expected to feature.
Historically, England and France have met three times before in World Cup play. England won the first two meetings (1966 and 1982), but France won 2-1 in the 2022 quarterfinals. Heading into Saturday’s contest, France is favored by pre-match computer simulations, with a 50.7 percent chance to win in regulation, according to Opta data cited by Al Jazeera.
Injuries may impact both squads. For France, William Saliba and Brice Samba are out, while England will be without Jordan Henderson and possibly Reece James.