AL RAYYAN, Qatar — It's one of the most pointless games in international sports, a match no one wants to play and one few remember once it's over.
But the World Cup's third-place game isn't going anywhere, says FIFA. This year's consolation final will be played Saturday between Croatia and Morocco and the game is on the schedule for the next tournament in 2026. So the question becomes why?
As with most things involving FIFA, the answer is money. The World Cup has had a third-place game since 1954 and the money it gets from broadcasters and sponsors makes it meaningful for FIFA's bank account.
