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France and England are set to face each other in the third-place playoff at the World Cup in Miami — a fixture neither side had hoped to contest.

Both nations were strong favourites to progress to the final, but France were defeated by Spain, while England were eliminated by Argentina in their respective semi-finals.

This match will mark Didier Deschamps’ final outing as manager of France, as he is set to step down following the tournament. Meanwhile, questions linger over the future of England head coach Thomas Tuchel after the Three Lions squandered a 1-0 lead to lose against Argentina.

Speaking ahead of the game, Deschamps reflected on the mood in his squad, saying: “The best for France and England would be for this match not to exist.”

England boss Tuchel echoed similar sentiments, adding: “None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match.”

Nonetheless, the game will go ahead — the 103rd fixture of this World Cup — and the referee for the encounter has now been confirmed.

Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela will take charge of proceedings in Miami. The experienced official has already overseen three matches at this World Cup, including Australia’s victory over Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dominant win against Qatar, and the Round of 16 clash between Norway and Ivory Coast.

Valenzuela also officiated in two matches during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where England and the USA played out a goalless draw, and France triumphed 3-1 against Poland.

Beyond the World Cup, Valenzuela brings a wealth of international experience, having officiated in three Copa America tournaments, the Olympic Games, and the FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions.

Known for his strict approach to discipline, the 42-year-old has issued 1,909 yellow cards and 115 red cards across 387 professional matches in his career.

Assisting Valenzuela will be fellow Venezuelans Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno, while Morocco’s Jalal Jayed will serve as the fourth official. Another Moroccan, Zakaria Brinsi, has been named the reserve assistant referee.

The match at Miami Stadium will be the last outing for both France and England at the 2026 World Cup. Following this playoff, only the final between Spain and Argentina remains to conclude the tournament.