Soccer fans dressed as mimes perform before the World Cup third-place match between England and France at Hard Rock Stadium (FIFA calls it Miami Stadium during the World Cup) on Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Miami Gardens.
Photography by AL DIAZ
adiaz@miamiherald.com
South Florida is hosting its last FIFA World Cup match with France taking on England, with kick off scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday in Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium (which has been renamed Miami Stadium and stripped of all non-FIFA corporate branding for the duration of the five-week tournament).
The Miami Herald will keep you updated on what is going on at the stadium in this live updates blog.
France fan Yoann Maillet Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com Meet the Miami Gardens guy who gets to be a flag-bearer
Miami Gardens native Devon Georges always wanted to see the World Cup in person. Watching matches on TV as a kid, the 18-year-old dreamt of going one day but didn’t think it would happen because of how expensive tickets are.
When he got a call from his mentor recently, the teenager answered his phone as he normally would.
What Gale Nelson shared with him next surprised him.
“When Gale told me I would be a flag-bearer, I asked, ‘What is that?’” Georges said.
-Michael Butler
Read the full story: How a SLAM student was tapped to be a flag bearer in Miami’s last World Cup match
For those who don’t get why there’s a match for third place
Surely, the French and English teams would love nothing more than a vacation at this point, a chance to relax, reunite with family and friends and bury those losses underneath all the great memories that they have of their impressive World Cup runs. Instead, they must find a way to get motivated and lace their boots up one more time.
England fan Andrew Ruiz, center Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Why, you ask, is there a third-place game? Why not just move on with it after the semis? People have been asking that for many years, including England coach Thomas Tuchel.
-Michelle Kaufman
Read the full story: Seven reasons the France-England World Cup third-place match in Miami matters
If you have a ticket
To start, we have a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know about today’s match for those who have tickets with tips on getting to the stadium, parking, what kind of bags you can bring inside, what kind of instruments, flags and signs you can bring into the stadium — anything you can think of.
Important info for any ticket-holder who also purchased a parking pass: In addition to the electronic pass that you received, you must print and display the pass included in an email on your windshield. Only cars with these passes can access roads near the stadium. So, you will need an electronic ticket, an electronic parking pass and a printed out road access pass that goes on your windshield/dashboard.
— Michelle Kaufman
Read the story: Going to a World Cup game at Miami Stadium? Here’s everything you need to know
Watch parties
For the rest of us mere mortals who plan to watch the match on a screen, there are so many options around town to watch with soccer fans, from the official Fan Fest in Bayfront Park, to municipal watch parties to parties hosted at bars and restaurants that feature food and drink specials.
Read the full stories:
How to watch the World Cup in Miami away from the stadium. See the choices
Hotels aren’t completely booked, but they cashed in on game nights
Miami hotels are getting a World Cup bump, but not because they are always overflowing with fans.
New data from CoStar, a commercial real estate information company, shows that on game nights Miami hotels increased their revenue per room from last year during the same time, even while occupancy rates only increased marginally or sometimes not at all.
Read the full story: Miami hotels weren’t full on game nights but still cashed in on World Cup
This story was originally published July 18, 2026 at 3:36 PM.
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Miami Herald
Michael Butler writes about minority business and trends that affect marginalized professionals in South Florida. As a business reporter for the Miami Herald, he tells inclusive stories that reflect South Florida’s diversity. Just like Miami’s diverse population, Butler, a Temple University graduate, has both local roots and a Panamanian heritage.