World Cup 2026: France vs England Prediction, Tips & Odds

* Odds supplied by Betway, accurate at the time of writing.

France take on England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third place playoff, kicking off at 23:00 CAT on Saturday. Didier Deschamps' France want to bow out with a win after losing in the semi-finals, and Kylian Mbappe is still in the hunt for the Golden Boot, while Thomas Tuchel's England hope to finish a long tournament on a high behind Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. BettingTop10 South Africa has this bronze medal game covered before the focus shifts to Sunday's world cup final between Spain and Argentina. You can find every one of our World Cup betting tips in our dedicated section.

France

France made the semi-finals with a clinical counter attacking game built around Kylian Mbappe, who comes in joint top of the scoring charts and has the biggest personal reason to deliver here. For me, Deschamps will still want third place and is likely to keep Mbappe and Michael Olise in the side, even if he rings the changes elsewhere after a draining run to the last four. Aurelien Tchouameni has been nursing a groin issue throughout the knockouts, so a bit of rotation in midfield would make sense. As I see it, France have too much attacking class for England if Mbappe plays and stays focused.

Expected Starting XI: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe.

England

England showed plenty of fight under Thomas Tuchel through the knockouts, leaning on the brilliance of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, but they let in a goal in every knockout match and looked shaky at the back, never more than in the closing minutes of the semi-final against Argentina. Reece James has struggled with a hamstring problem and Jarrell Quansah with an ankle issue earlier in the tournament, so Tuchel could rest a few players and rotate here. To my mind, they have the attacking talent to trouble any back line, but the defensive weaknesses that cost England in the semi-final are still a real concern. I see goals at both ends if both coaches pick attacking teams.

Expected Starting XI: Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, Spence; Rice, Anderson; Rogers, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.

I see an open, end to end game between two attacking teams who will not be too worried about defending in a third place playoff. Both sides have shipped goals in the knockouts, and with Mbappe, Kane and Bellingham all expected to play, there should be goals here. I fancy France to shade it because Mbappe gives them extra bite in front of goal. My prediction: France 2 England 1.

BTTS: Yes (1.42)

My pick is Both Teams to Score Yes at 1.42, because as I see it both defences have been easy to break down at times lately. England have conceded in every knockout game, and France are likely to pick an attacking team with nothing to lose in a match where only a consolation prize is up for grabs. With so much firepower on the pitch, I fully expect both teams to score.