Greg Barringer-Grimes

Debate surrounds the World Cup third-place play-off as England prepare to face France, with coaches and players from both sides expressing reluctance to participate. Despite criticism that the match is unwanted or unfair, it remains significant for determining official standings, prize money, historical records and Golden Boot outcomes. Past tournaments show that teams like Croatia have embraced the fixture, while others, including the Netherlands and Morocco, have dismissed it as a consolation prize. FIFA is unlikely to scrap the game, which continues to provide commercial value and competitive meaning, even as future World Cups expand further.

Fifa has introduced the Trionda Final ball for the last four matches of the 2026 World Cup, replacing the original Trionda Official Match ball used in the first 100 games. Designed in gold and black, the new ball highlights the 16 host cities and includes updated AI technology to provide real-time data for match officials. The change applies to the semi-finals, third-place play-off and the final.