World Cup 2026: Does third-place play-off count towards golden boot award?
The BBC reports that goals scored in the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off will count toward the Golden Boot award. This decision impacts the race between top scorers like Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi as the tournament concludes.
Why it matters
It clarifies the rules for a major international sporting award, directly influencing the outcome of a high-profile global competition.
By Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Published 16 July 2026, 09:30 BST Goals scored by players in the World Cup's third place play-off will count towards a player's goal tally and the race for the Golden Boot.
It means that the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham can still win the Golden Boot at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, despite France and England exiting in the semi-finals.
Heading into the final two matches of the tournament, the quartet are among the seven players who have scored five or more goals so far.
England and France face each other in the third-place play-off on Saturday. A day later, Spain take on Argentina in the final.
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