World Cup third place playoff and club football matches set for Saturday

By Brian Otieno — 18 July 2026 — 3 min read

Football action across continents

Saturday, 18 July, features a variety of football matches, including the World Cup third place playoff between France and England in Miami. Alongside this international fixture, club football programmes are scheduled in Brazil, Mexico, Romania, Bulgaria, and Norway.

In Brazil, the Serie B will see a top-of-the-table clash as Criciúma, currently first in the standings, hosts second-placed Vila Nova. Criciúma enters this match unbeaten in their last six league games, with five wins and one draw. Vila Nova, a strong contender for promotion, has a significant following in Goiás. Another notable fixture in Brazil features Ponte Preta, sitting 19th, against Goiás, who are ninth. Ponte Preta is on a five-match losing streak, while Goiás recently secured a win against Ceará and Náutico before drawing with CRB.

Mexico’s Liga MX Apertura also has several key matches. Guadalajara (Chivas), one of Mexico’s largest clubs, will face Toluca, a consistent title contender. Other matches include Querétaro against Club América, Pumas UNAM versus Pachuca, and Monterrey (Rayados) hosting Santos Laguna.

European and international rugby fixtures

The Rugby Union Nations Championship will feature several high-profile matches. The biggest matchup of the weekend sees New Zealand taking on Ireland. This fixture involves two of the world’s top-ranked teams and is expected to have significant implications for the Rugby World Cup.

Another anticipated match is between Argentina and England, which is likely to attract substantial betting interest in the Americas. South Africa will play Wales, a game expected to draw heavy betting interest across Europe and South Africa. France, among the tournament favourites, will face Japan, while Australia is set to play Italy. Additionally, Fiji will compete against Scotland.

In the World Cup third place playoff, England‘s coach, Thomas Tuchel, has indicated that his players are not eager for the match, but he is determined to avoid consecutive defeats after their performance against Argentina in the semi-finals. France, with Kylian Mbappe still pursuing the Golden Boot, has additional motivation. England players such as Declan Rice and Reece James are reportedly nursing injuries, potentially making the team vulnerable. Both teams have seen goals scored in recent matches, with both teams scoring in each of England‘s four knockout phase fixtures at the World Cup this summer.

Golf’s Open Championship

The Open Championship is also taking place, with various golfers listed with opening odds. Among the players are Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Tommy Fleetwood. Other notable names include Jon Rahm, Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, and Viktor Hovland. The field also features Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, and Justin Rose.

In the Romanian Superliga, the 2026/27 campaign begins with Otelul Galati facing CFR Cluj. Otelul Galati previously defeated CFR Cluj 4-1 in an early season match last term. Stjepan Tomas will be making his competitive debut as Otelul Galati‘s new head coach. In Norway’s Eliteserien, defending champions Viking Stavanger will host Sandefjord. Viking has scored multiple goals against Sandefjord in four of their last five encounters, with key players including skipper Zlatko Tripic and forward Peter Christiansen. In Bulgaria’s First League, Ludogorets will play Lokomotiv Plovdiv. These two teams previously met in a Conference League Qualification Playoff, which was decided by penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw, continuing a trend of low-scoring matches between them.

The World Cup third place playoff between France and England is scheduled for Saturday, 18 July.

Source: gambling911.com