Does a third-place game actually provide any consolation? It’s complicated
The concept of a third-place game in sports is complicated and has been debated for years. The game is officially called the Third-Place Match, but it is often referred to as the consolation game, which can be misleading. The value and purpose of this game are questioned, as finishing in third place can be seen as a disappointment rather than a consolation.
- ▪The Third-Place Match is played between the two teams that lose in the semifinals of the World Cup.
- ▪The game has been a part of the World Cup tournament for years, but its purpose and value are debated.
- ▪The concept of a consolation game is not unique to the World Cup and is also found in other sports.
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| Publication time | Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:16:54 -0400 |
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open mike Mike Vaccaro Does a third-place game actually provide any consolation? It’s complicated By Mike Vaccaro Published July 18, 2026, 6:16 p.m. ET France's Kylian Mbappé during the warm-up before the third-place match. REUTERS France and England played the penultimate match of the World Cup on Saturday afternoon, and so once again we are faced with the existential question: Whither the consolation game? We’ll start there. Officially this is called the “Third-Place Match,” and it may not sound like much, but for years in other sports it was called by its more colloquial name: the consolation game. This was always a little bit funny, because there’s really nothing at all consoling about these games.
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