World Cup final weekend: France vs England third-place playoff, Argentina vs Spain final
Only two matches remain at the FIFA World Cup: France and England play for third place on Saturday, while Argentina and Spain meet in Sunday's final, featuring a generational clash between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.
The FIFA World Cup is down to its final two games. On Saturday, July 17, at 21:00 GMT, France and England will face off in the third-place playoff at Miami Stadium in Miami, Florida. According to the Opta supercomputer, which ran 25,000 pre-match simulations, France are favourites with a 50.7 percent chance of winning in 90 minutes, England have a 25.6 percent chance, and 23.7 percent of simulations ended in a draw. These teams have met three times in World Cup history: England won in 1966 and 1982, while France won their most recent encounter in the 2022 quarterfinals.
The final takes place on Sunday, July 19, at 19:00 GMT at New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, between Spain and Argentina. Spain are seeking their second World Cup title, while defending champions Argentina aim for a fourth. Their last meeting was a 2018 friendly in Madrid, which Spain won 6-1. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend and present the trophy. For the first time, FIFA will also award championship rings, a tradition from North American sports: 30 rings for the winning squad and 1,996 collector's editions for fans. Organisers are monitoring air quality after smoke from Canadian wildfires triggered health advisories in the New York area, but so far the final is unaffected.
England’s semifinal loss to Argentina has sparked criticism of coach Thomas Tuchel. British media questioned his defensive substitutions after England lost a 1-0 lead. Former captain Gary Lineker wondered if Tuchel is the right person to deliver a trophy.
A remarkable coincidence involves a 2007 photo of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing a baby in a tub for a charity calendar. The baby turned out to be Lamine Yamal, now facing Messi in the final. Photographer Joan Monfort, who took the images, said the coincidence still amazes him.
Spain’s preparations were affected by hazardous air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke. The team trained outdoors in northern New Jersey under hazy skies. Medical experts questioned outdoor training, recommending indoor, air-conditioned facilities. Argentina, based near Atlanta, avoided the worst smoke due to its location.
