France and England will go head-to-head in the 2026 FIFA World Cup bronze final on Thursday at Miami Stadium, but will star striker Kylian Mbappé be part of the action?
Here is everything we know about the France star’s status for the bronze final match vs. England:
Why Mbappé Might Not Play
After France failed to advance to the final, coach Didier Deschamps might opt to give other players a chance to have their World Cup moment, like veterans Lucas Hernández and N’Golo Kanté, who have yet to log a single minute at the tournament, or younger players like Warren Zaïre-Emery and Robin Risser.
He might also use it as an opportunity to rest his starters after a long tournament. Four different France players — Mbappé, Jules Koundé, Mike Maignan and Dayot Upamecano — have played over 500 minutes at this year’s tournament.
(Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Why Mbappé Likely Will Play
With eight goals, Mbappé is tied with Lionel Messi for the most goals at the 2026 World Cup. While Mbappé won’t be playing in the final like Messi, he will still have the opportunity to eclipse him in the race with goals against England. If Mbappé wins the Golden Boot for a second time, he will become the first player in World Cup history to win the award more than once.
Mbappé also has the opportunity to end the tournament as the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. He is currently one goal behind Messi for the all-time record with 20 goals. If he doesn’t do it before Saturday, he will almost certainly do it at the 2030 World Cup.
How To Watch France vs. England
- When: Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
- Where: Miami Stadium, Miami, FL
- TV: FOX
- Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOX Sports
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