World Cup: France vs England prediction, final schedule, latest news

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to its final two matches, with France and England set to play for third place in Miami before Argentina meet Spain in the final. The third-place playoff is listed for Miami Stadium in Florida at 21:00 GMT, while the final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, with kickoff at 19:00 GMT.

The report says France are favoured in the third-place match, citing Opta’s pre-match model, which gave Les Bleus a 50.7 percent chance of winning in regulation time after 25,000 simulations. England were put at 25.6 percent, with a 23.7 percent chance of a draw after 90 minutes. The countries have met three times at World Cups: England won in 1966 and 1982, while France won their 2022 quarterfinal in Qatar.

The final is being framed around Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Spain’s Lamine Yamal, whose connection includes a resurfaced 2007 charity photo shoot in which a young Messi was pictured with Yamal as a baby. Al Jazeera says Argentina are seeking a fourth World Cup title as defending champions, while Spain are chasing their second. The outlet also reports that US President Donald Trump is expected to attend and present the trophy, and that FIFA will introduce championship rings for the winning squad.

Other storylines include criticism of England coach Thomas Tuchel after the semifinal loss to Argentina, and concern over wildfire smoke from Canada affecting air quality around the New York metropolitan area. Organisers are monitoring conditions, though Al Jazeera reported no sign so far that the final would be affected.