England ended their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on a high after defeating France 6-4 in a pulsating third-place playoff at Miami Stadium on Saturday to secure the bronze medal.

Thomas Tuchel’s men produced an electric attacking display, storming into a commanding four-goal lead before France launched a spirited comeback.

SEE ALSO: FIFA Makes Historic Change as World Cup Winners to Receive Championship Rings

Declan Rice opened the scoring early, while Ezri Konsa doubled England’s advantage. Bukayo Saka then stole the show with a first-half brace as the Three Lions headed into the break with complete control of the contest.

France responded strongly after halftime, with captain Kylian Mbappé leading the charge by scoring twice.

Bradley Barcola also found the net to reduce the deficit and briefly raise hopes of an unlikely comeback for Les Bleus.

However, England had the final say as Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time to seal a thrilling 5-3 victory and confirm England’s third-place finish at the tournament.

The victory marked a fitting response to England’s heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Argentina and secured the nation’s best World Cup finish since 1966.

France, meanwhile, ended the tournament in fourth place after suffering back-to-back defeats in the knockout stage.

Attention now shifts to Sunday’s World Cup final, where Spain will battle defending champions Argentina for football’s biggest prize.

In a landmark move that will add a new layer of prestige to football’s biggest tournament, FIFA has announced that the winners of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will receive championship rings for the first time in the competition’s history.

The historic honour will be introduced when Spain and Argentina face off in the World Cup final on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

SEE MORE: Argentina in Trouble as FIFA Weighs Sanctions Over Explosive World Cup Celebration

In addition to lifting the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy and receiving the traditional gold medals, the victorious team will also be awarded specially designed championship rings, marking a first for any FIFA tournament.

The introduction of the rings brings one of North America’s most celebrated sporting traditions into global football, creating a unique keepsake to commemorate the champions’ achievement.

To mark the 2026 tournament, FIFA has produced 2,026 individually numbered championship rings.

Of these, 30 have been reserved exclusively for members of the title-winning team, while the remaining 1,996 will be released as officially licensed collectibles for fans across the world.

Each ring has been designed with the FIFA World Cup trophy engraved on one side, while the opposite side will be personalised to reflect the identity of the tournament winners. Every ring will also be individually numbered, custom-fitted to its recipient and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

According to FIFA, the winning team’s captain and head coach will receive temporary championship rings during the on-field celebrations immediately after the final on July 19.

The permanent rings will then be custom-made to ensure a perfect fit before being formally presented to the players and technical staff at a later ceremony.

Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina will not only determine the next world champions but will also crown the first team in FIFA history to receive championship rings, adding another unforgettable chapter to football’s most prestigious competition.

Argentina could face disciplinary action from FIFA after several players displayed a politically charged banner following their dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The reigning world champions booked their place in Sunday’s final against Spain after staging a late comeback in Atlanta, with Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez scoring decisive goals to seal the win.

SEE ALSO: ‘Nobody Can Question Our Referees’ — FIFA Breaks Silence on Argentina-Egypt Controversy

However, celebrations after the final whistle quickly turned controversial when a group of Argentine players unveiled a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”), a slogan linked to Argentina’s long-standing claim over the Falkland Islands.
T

he display has sparked concerns that FIFA could sanction the Argentine Football Association or the players involved, as the governing body strictly prohibits political messages during official competitions.

The Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, have remained at the centre of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom for decades.

The disagreement culminated in the 1982 Falklands War, which claimed the lives of hundreds of Argentine and British military personnel.

Argentina has previously been punished over the same issue. In 2014, FIFA fined the Argentine Football Association £20,000 after the national team displayed an identical banner before an international friendly against Slovenia, ruling that it breached regulations on political messaging and team misconduct.

The controversy deepened after Argentina’s Vice President, Victoria Villarruel, reacted to the victory on X, writing, “It wasn’t just another match.”

She added, “The Falklands are Argentine. They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”

Before the semi-final, Villarruel had also described the clash with England as “about putting the invaders in their place,” comments that further heightened political tensions surrounding the fixture.

Argentina’s players had already drawn attention earlier in the tournament after their Round of 16 victory over Egypt, when they reportedly sang chants referencing the Falkland Islands alongside tributes to football legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Despite the growing controversy, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni urged that football should remain separate from politics.

“The reality is that this is a football match. I can’t mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago,” Scaloni said.

He added “It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn’t much we can do about it. We certainly remember those people, but it is a football match. We shouldn’t confuse the two.”

FIFA has yet to announce whether it will open formal disciplinary proceedings against Argentina over the post-match celebrations, but the incident has overshadowed the team’s march into the World Cup final against Spain.