The final weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off today: the WC 2026 match schedule in Kyiv time features the bronze-medal match tonight and a spectacular final tomorrow. Below is everything you need to know about kick-off times, line-ups and the context surrounding the tournament's last two games.
France vs. England: Bronze Match at 00:00 Kyiv Time
The third-place match between France and England takes place today, July 18, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Kick-off is at 17:00 local time (ET), which corresponds to 00:00 Kyiv time in the early hours of Sunday morning. In Ukraine the match will be broadcast on Megogo (Megogo Football 1 channel), with the pre-match studio starting at 23:20 Kyiv time. The game will be refereed by Venezuelan official Jesús Valenzuela.
Both sides reached the bronze-medal match after losing their semi-finals: France fell to Spain 0–2, while England lost to Argentina. For France head coach Didier Deschamps this is his 187th and final match in charge of Les Bleus — he will step down after the tournament. According to englandfootball.com statistics, Deschamps has overseen 26 World Cup games — more than any other manager in history. For England, this is a chance to claim their first World Cup bronze since 1966: the Three Lions have played in the third-place match twice before and lost on both occasions — in 1990 and 2018.
In the Golden Boot race, Kylian Mbappé (8 goals, 3 assists) trails Lionel Messi (8 goals, 4 assists) only on assists — tonight's match could shake things up. Read more about the game in our article "France vs. England at Midnight: WC 2026 Bronze Match in Kyiv Time".
Final — Spain vs. Argentina: 22:00 Kyiv Time on Sunday
The 2026 World Cup final takes place on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey). Kick-off is at 15:00 ET, meaning 22:00 Kyiv time. Spain will face Argentina in the tournament's decisive match. The full schedule and finalists' press conferences are covered in our article "France vs. England and the Final Spain vs. Argentina: WC 2026 Match Schedule".
Spain reached the final for the first time in 16 years, defeating France 2–0 in the semi-final. La Roja set a tournament record — six consecutive clean sheets in the knockout stage. Argentina, the reigning world champions, twice came through crisis situations in extra time during the knockout rounds. 39-year-old Lionel Messi provided two assists in the semi-final against England and remains one of the leaders in the Golden Boot race with 8 goals.
How to Convert ET to Kyiv Time
Most WC 2026 matches in the United States were played in Eastern Time (ET). To get Kyiv time (UTC+3), add 7 hours to ET (or 8 hours to CT). For example: kick-off at 17:00 ET = 00:00 Kyiv time the following day. All 104 group-stage and knockout matches were held across 16 cities in the three host countries — the USA, Canada and Mexico. From the quarter-finals onwards, FIFA staged all games exclusively at American venues.
Disciplinary Matters and the Golden Boot
FIFA confirmed that the disciplinary committee continues to review match materials after each game and will take all circumstances into account before making decisions. The top-scorers race also deserves special attention: Messi and Mbappé are tied on 8 goals each, while Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have 6 goals apiece. The bronze-medal match could significantly affect the final distribution of individual awards.
Tonight — France vs. England (00:00 Kyiv time); tomorrow, July 19 — the final Spain vs. Argentina (22:00 Kyiv time). A detailed final preview will follow.
Photo: UA.NEWS · Editorial (source)
