BBC Sport launches interactive rating tool for World Cup third-place play-off
The broadcaster has opened a user-submission window for the 2026 tournament’s bronze medal match, with results calculated post-whistle.
BBC Sport has activated an interactive player rating platform for the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off between England and France. The initiative invites users to evaluate the performance of players from both national teams on a scale of one to ten.
Access to the rating interface is restricted to individuals with a verified BBC account. The submission window remains open during the match and closes precisely 30 minutes after the final whistle, allowing time for the collection of user inputs before the final data is processed.
Once the voting period concludes, the platform calculates the final scores by averaging all submissions received from BBC Sport users. These aggregated results are then published to provide a collective assessment of the match performance.
This engagement feature follows a similar model employed during the tournament’s semi-finals, including the encounter between England and Argentina. The mechanism allows for real-time audience participation, though the definitive scores are only available after the match has concluded.
The third-place play-off serves as the conclusion to the knockout stages for the two defeated semi-finalists. France had previously been eliminated by Spain, a result that extended Spain’s winning streak against France to three consecutive major tournament matches.
France coach Didier Deschamps has described his impending departure from the national team role as "bittersweet" following the semi-final exit. He has acknowledged the difficulty of the moment while reflecting on his tenure and the team's development under his leadership.
