France to play England in World Cup 2026 third-place match
via SeneNews3 min read
France and England are set to compete for third place in the 2026 World Cup on July 18, 2026, at 9:00 PM Dakar time at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Garden. The match is anticipated to be a decisive encounter for both teams, according to FIFA. Didier Deschamps will coach France, employing a 4-2-3-1 formation, while Thomas Tuchel will lead England with a 4-1-2-3 formation. Key players for France include Kylian Mbappé, Mike Maignan, and Adrien Rabiot. England's lineup features Dean Henderson, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. The article provides the full starting lineups and lists of substitutes for both teams. The match will be broadcast live on SeneNews, with real-time updates on scores, goals, substitutions, and cards.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadFrench captain Kylian Mbappé has set a new record for World Cup goals, scoring 22 and surpassing Lionel Messi's previous record of 21. Mbappé achieved this milestone by scoring twice in the third-place play-off match against England in Miami. His two goals also placed him at the top of the current tournament's scoring chart with nine goals. Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid, previously won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals. He is also the all-time leading scorer for the French national team, with 66 goals in 107 appearances.
Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French team, has significantly altered his starting lineup for the 2026 World Cup third-place match against England in Miami on Saturday, though captain Kylian Mbappé remains in the squad. For his final match as coach of Les Bleus, Deschamps has selected Mike Maignan as the starting goalkeeper. Brice Samba, the second-choice goalkeeper, was injured during the week. The defense is entirely new compared to the semi-final against Spain, with Théo Hernandez on the left, Maxence Lacroix and Ibrahima Konaté as center-backs, and Malo Gusto on the right. In midfield, Adrien Rabiot and Warren Zaïre-Emery form the double pivot, with Zaïre-Emery making his first start of the tournament. Up front, Désiré Doué replaces Bradley Barcola on the left wing, and Rayan Cherki will start in the center, with Michael Olise moving to the right wing. Kylian Mbappé, still in contention for the tournament's top scorer title and the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, will lead the attack. England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, has made even more changes following their 2-1 semi-final loss to Argentina, retaining only three starters: captain Declan Rice, defender Marc Guehi, and forward Morgan Rogers. Stars Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are on the bench, and Jordan Pickford is replaced by Dean Henderson in goal.
Must ReadCentral African Prime Minister Félix Moloua and several government members visited Birao on Saturday, 65 km from Am Dafock, following a devastating attack on June 30. The attack, which occurred in Am Dafock, a border town with Sudan, caused the displacement of over 16,000 people and resulted in civilian and security force deaths, though no official casualty figures were released. The government did not identify the attackers, but the local sub-prefect, Ramadan Abdelkader, attributed the assault to "ex-Séléka associated with elements of the Rapid Support Forces RSF from Sudan." Sudan has been experiencing a deadly war since April 2023 between government forces and RSF paramilitaries. Moloua, accompanied by the Ministers of Defense, Justice, Interior, Disarmament, and Humanitarian Action, was greeted by hundreds of residents. He stated upon arrival, "Peace is dearly acquired, we must preserve it." A significant security presence, including Zambian peacekeepers, Central African soldiers, and Russian Wagner paramilitary group elements, was deployed in Birao. Residents expressed relief at the high-level visit, with Mahamat Ahmat, a Birao resident, saying, "We are happy to see a high authority of our country here. It reassures us. It shows us that our authorities have not abandoned us." The Prime Minister met with humanitarian actors, traditional chiefs, and peace advocates. The Minister of Disarmament, Tomou Dey, condemned the rebels' actions, describing them as mostly "foreigners