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

Les Bleus have hit a major roadblock on their road to the World Cup. 

Arsenal defender William Saliba is highly doubtful for the tournament after suffering a back injury a few weeks ago. 

The 25-year-old center back reportedly underwent initial scans Monday, but fears are mounting that the defender will require an extended period of rest and treatment, forcing him to miss the competition entirely, per ESPN.

According to reports from Foot Mercato, Arsenal center back William Saliba was already carrying a back injury into Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. He played the full 120 minutes in Budapest, but reportedly aggravated the issue during the painful penalty-shootout loss, putting his tournament status in serious jeopardy.

Losing Saliba would be a devastating blow for both the player and manager Didier Deschamps. The Frenchman is fresh off a monstrous season, playing 50 games to anchor Arsenal’s Premier League title campaign and leading them to the Champions League final. 

If he is ruled out, France will have to rely on a defensive corps that includes Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, and Dayot Upamecano to steady the ship in Group I against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–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 matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).

The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).