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The Blues face a major obstacle on their road to the World Cup.
Arsenal defender William Saliba is very doubtful for the tournament after injuring his back a few weeks ago.
The 25-year-old central defender reportedly underwent initial tests on Monday, but fears are growing that the defender will need an extended period of rest and treatment, forcing him to miss the competition altogether, according to ESPN.
According to reports from Mercato on footArsenal centre-back William Saliba was already suffering from a back injury during Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. He played the full 120 minutes in Budapest, but reportedly made the problem worse in the painful penalty shootout defeat, putting his tournament status in serious jeopardy.
Losing Saliba would be a devastating blow for both the player and coach Didier Deschamps. The Frenchman is coming off a monstrous season, playing 50 games to anchor Arsenal’s Premier League title campaign and lead them to the Champions League final.
If he is excluded, France will have to rely on a defensive corps including Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé and Dayot Upamecano to stabilize the ship in Group I against Senegal, Iraq and Norway.
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
