France v England: 2026 World Cup Prediction

France and England would certainly have liked to have waited a day before playing their final match at the 2026 World Cup. France deservedly lost 0–2 to Spain, whilst England squandered a 1–0 lead against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. As set out in the FIFA regulations, the third-place play-off is scheduled to take place the day before the final. Oranje Palace tells you more about this match and gives you the best France v England predictions.

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France v England preview

Even though finishing third at the 2026 World Cup may not seem particularly exciting at first glance, the players who led the Netherlands to the bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup certainly relished it. Does the same apply to France and England? Here’s a brief look at both teams.

Current Form & Team News

France

No one – absolutely no one – had expected France to be so ineffective against Spain. Star players Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué had little to no impact on the game and barely created any clear-cut chances. This was, of course, mainly due to the fact that Spain were excellent in possession, giving Les Bleus no opportunity to reach their front four. And yet Didier Deschamps managed to shift at least some of the blame onto the referee. It is typical of the poor loser who is one of the most successful national team managers.

England

Naturally, there was also a great deal of criticism directed at England. In this case, the manager came in for a lot of flak, particularly for his substitution policy. After Anthony Gordon’s 1–0 goal, the Three Lions sat back, and the German manager made very defensive substitutions. Ultimately, this allowed Argentina to grow in confidence, and they went on to score twice in the closing stages. And that was despite Jordan Pickford putting in an outstanding performance in goal. Are we set to see a completely new England side? Or will the first-choice players get the chance to redeem themselves?

Head-to-Head

France and England have played 31 international matches against each other in the past. England have come out on top 16 times, whilst France have won ten times. This means the match has ended in a draw six times. The last two editions ended in a French victory, which may make them the favourites. Certainly when it comes to the squads of both nations. The question is: can the star players recharge their batteries sufficiently?

Expected line-ups

France (4-3-3):

Maignan, Hernandez, Lacroix, Upamecano, Koundé, Koné, Rabiot, Barcola, Cherki, Dembélé, Mbappé

England (4-3-3):

Pickford, Spence, Guehi, Stones, James, Anderson, Rice, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane, Rogers

France - England betting tips

Betting tip 1: Over 3.5 goals

There’s really no reason to think that Deschamps and Tuchel will opt to sit back and defend. And that’s precisely why we expect an entertaining match, in which a number of substitutes will be keen to prove they should have been given more playing time. We’re therefore going for at least four goals. Over 3.5 goals will earn you odds of 2.08.

Betting tip 2: Over 1.5 shots on target by Ousmane Dembélé

It remains to be seen whether Kylian Mbappé will feature for the French side. He appears to be struggling with an injury and may well be granted a well-deserved holiday. That’s why all eyes will be on Ousmane Dembélé. We reckon he’ll be a threat and will have at least two shots on target. Just as he did against Spain. This gives you odds of 3.50.

France v England Prediction

Final score: France 4–2 England
As mentioned, we expect a high-scoring match, as the defensive solidity of both teams has slipped somewhat. In short: a 4–2 victory for the side that reached the World Cup final in both 2018 and 2022.