France faces a big injury worry that’s causing serious concern just days before the World Cup.
The World Cup 2026 is just 10 days away! All 48 teams are arriving in the US, Canada, and Mexico to start their training camps and friendly matches.
Some players from Arsenal and PSG are among the last to join their national teams. Since these two clubs were in the Champions League final, they didn’t have to release their players by FIFA’s deadline. But now, everyone’s focused on the 23rd World Cup.
France is one of the top favorites to win. They’ve reached the last two World Cup finals, winning in 2018 in Russia and finishing runners-up in 2022 in Qatar. They always have one of the most talented and deep teams.
Didier Deschamps, who both captained and coached France to those two World Cup wins, will lead his 26-man squad in warm-up games against Ivory Coast and Northern Ireland before starting their Group I matches.
Arsenal’s defender William Saliba made the squad and played the full Champions League final last weekend. But he’s dealing with an old injury, and there are worries about whether he can play in the World Cup.
Reports say, “William Saliba might be out for several weeks. He hurt the injury more during the final, and he’s still in pain. The French Football Federation is really concerned, just days before the tournament.”
Saliba has played 31 times for France since 2022. While Deschamps has some other options, losing Saliba would be a big blow.
He was part of the 2022 World Cup team, appearing once as a substitute in the group stage against Tunisia.
After their warm-up games, France will open their group against Senegal at MetLife Stadium—a match with history since Senegal beat the world and European champs in Seoul at the 2002 World Cup.
Then, France will play Iraq in Philadelphia and Norway at Gillette Stadium.