France and England to play the most expensive match of the World Cup
France and England will face off in the World Cup third-place play-off, featuring the two most valuable squads of the tournament.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Bryan Berlin
On Saturday, July 18, France and England will meet in the third-place play-off of the 2026 World Cup. After falling in the semi-finals to Spain and Argentina respectively, the two nations will conclude their tournament in a clash that carries significant financial weight.
According to Transfermarkt data, this encounter ranks as the most valuable match of the 2026 tournament. The combined market value of both squads reaches €2.88 billion. France leads the ranking as the most valuable team at the World Cup at €1.52 billion, followed by England at €1.36 billion.
Kylian Mbappé remains a key figure for France with a market value of €180 million. On the English side, Jude Bellingham stands as the most valuable player in the squad at €130 million, while Harry Kane is valued at €60 million.
Beyond the sporting stakes, the match is backed by substantial FIFA prize money. Semi-finalists have already secured at least $81 million in earnings. The winner of this third-place match will receive an additional bonus, bringing their total tournament prize money to $83 million.