Arsenal defender William Saliba could be forced to undergo back surgery immediately after the upcoming World Cup as his ongoing physical discomfort continues to intensify.Â
Despite successfully managing the issue to play a starring role for the Gunners, recent medical assessments indicate that the center back requires long-term surgical intervention.
According to reports from LEquipe, Arsenal centre-back Saliba could be set for back surgery following his international commitments this summer. The 25-year-old defender has been managing a persistent back issue for several weeks.Â
While the injury did not prevent him from completing the full 120 minutes in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, the pains have reportedly worsened since that showpiece event.
Initial assessments from Foot Mercato sparked fears that the defender faced a lengthy layoff, which would have severely jeopardised his place in Didier Deschamps plans.Â
While Saliba’s representatives expressed significant concern regarding the setback, the France national team’s medical staff remained far more optimistic.Â
Crucially, a subsequent round of medical examinations conducted on Monday yielded positive results, clearing the center back to participate in the upcoming tournament.
Arsenal officials were already aware that they would likely be unable to count on the dependable defender directly after the tournament.Â
The Premier League champions understand that the required surgery is tentatively scheduled for the end of the summer.Â
While Saliba is expected to represent Les Bleus, there are now significant internal concerns at the Emirates Stadium that he will miss the start of the next domestic campaign.
Saliba, who made 50 appearances during Arsenal’s title-winning campaign, will now focus on his second global tournament with France after previously featuring at Qatar 2022.Â
He joins Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, and Maxence Lacroix as Deschamps chosen central defensive options. Les Bleus open their Group I campaign against Senegal on June 16, an encounter evoking memories of their infamous 1-0 defeat in 2002.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11âJuly 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).
