France, Arsenal Star William Saliba Doubtful For World Cup Due To Back Injury

Les Bleus person deed a large roadblock connected their roadworthy to the World Cup. 

Arsenal defender William Saliba is highly doubtful for the tourney aft suffering a backmost wounded a fewer weeks ago. 

The 25-year-old halfway backmost reportedly underwent archetypal scans Monday, but fears are mounting that the defender volition necessitate an extended play of remainder and treatment, forcing him to miss the contention entirely, per ESPN.

According to reports from Foot Mercato, Arsenal halfway backmost William Saliba was already carrying a backmost wounded into Saturday's Champions League last against Paris Saint-Germain. He played the afloat 120 minutes successful Budapest, but reportedly aggravated the contented during the achy penalty-shootout loss, putting his tourney presumption successful superior jeopardy.

Losing Saliba would beryllium a devastating stroke for some the subordinate and manager Didier Deschamps. The Frenchman is caller disconnected a monstrous season, playing 50 games to anchor Arsenal’s Premier League rubric run and starring them to the Champions League final. 

If helium is ruled out, France volition person to trust connected a antiaircraft corps that includes Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, and Dayot Upamecano to dependable the vessel successful Group I against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup volition tally from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread crossed 3 countries, the tourney volition culminate with the last connected July 19 astatine New York New Jersey Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tourney matches volition aerial unrecorded crossed FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with each lucifer streaming unrecorded and on-demand wrong some the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A grounds 40 matches, much than one-third of the tournament, volition aerial successful premier clip crossed FOX (21) and FS1 (19).

The opening lucifer connected June 11 betwixt Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) volition watercourse for escaped connected Tubi, arsenic good arsenic the USA's opening lucifer against Paraguay connected June 12 (9 p.m. ET).