world-cup-injuries-players-missing-2026-fifa-tournament/fc7bc16508cfc5996534ddbc?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">World Cup injuries to know: Every star player out or at risk of missing 2026 FIFA finals originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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As the pinnacle of international football competition, every player around the globe hopes to be selected by their national team for action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With the 2026 tournament now only weeks away from kickoff, the time has come to keep an eye on injury news — news that could make or break a player’s chances of competing this summer. A key injury at this stage could dictate a national team’s championship hopes.
Nobody is immune to being hampered by a devastating injury, from the top teams and most iconic superstars all the way down to individual role players and key depth pieces.
With the start of the tournament still a few days away, teams have until 24 hours prior to their opening match to submit any injury replacements on their official World Cup rosters. After that, players cannot be replaced for any reason, and teams must make do with whatever happenstance befalls their squad.
The Sporting News takes a look at the latest injury news for the biggest stars hoping to participate in the competition, which begins on June 11 and concludes with the final on July 19.
INJURY LATEST:Arsenal | Man United | Man City | Liverpool | Real Madrid | Barcelona | Chelsea
Players out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury
Rodrygo (FW, Brazil)
The Real Madrid winger tore his ACL in early March, leaving him unable to recover in time to participate in the World Cup.
It was confirmed shortly after his injury against Getafe that he would miss the summer FIFA tournament, and probably the start of next season with Real Madrid as well. Without a preseason to ramp up, he will have to be brought back slowly.
Hugo Ekitike (FW, France)
Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike tore his right Achilles tendon in mid-April while playing a Champions League quarterfinal match against Paris Saint-Germain.
He slipped while jumping and landed awkwardly, needing to be stretchered off the pitch. It was confirmed shortly after that he would miss the World Cup, having suffered one of the most serious injuries a professional athlete can sustain. Ekitike’s recovery time will be long, potentially needing nine to twelve months before he is back, meaning he will likely miss a large portion of next season as well.
Ironically, Ekitike was injured in the very same match that saw Alexander Isak return from a long-term injury, and now the man who held down the fort for Liverpool at the No. 9 position will have to miss significant time himself.
Serge Gnabry (FW, Germany)
Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry was withdrawn in the 61st minute of the Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid, and would later reveal he suffered a serious adductor tear.
The 30-year-old later revealed he would miss the World Cup, requiring surgery to repair the injury which leaves him out for three to four months. He should, thus, be back shortly after the start of next club season, but he cannot recover in time to play for Germany this summer.
Fermin Lopez (FW, Spain)
Barcelona’s Swiss Army knife forward Fermin Lopez, who can play striker, No. 10, or winger, was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a cruel injury late in the season, after Barcelona had already confirmed the La Liga title.
The 23-year-old suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, withdrawn at halftime of Barcelona’s 3-1 win over Real Betis in the penultimate match of the La Liga season. He will need 6-8 weeks to recover, meaning he will not be able to participate in the World Cup.
Xavi Simons (MF, Netherlands)
Nearing the end of a nightmare Tottenham season, Xavi Simons suffered an ACL tear in his right leg when he went down in a 1-0 win for Spurs over Wolves. The injury happened shortly after Simons had scored the winning goal, a cruel twist of fate.
It meant that Simons would miss not only the World Cup, but also the first half of next season, which could leave him unable to find a new club, thus meaning the Dutchman may have to stay with Spurs in the Championship if they do indeed suffer relegation.
Eder Militao (CB, Brazil)
Amidst a season full of injury setbacks, Eder Militao was forced out of the World Cup after picking up a hamstring injury serious enough to require surgery.
The Brazilian was helped off the field just before halftime in Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Alaves in mid-April, and while initial reports seemed to indicate the injury was not serious enough to threaten his World Cup participation, that initial optimism was let down. It was confirmed in the following days that Militao would need a procedure to repair the injury, ruling him out of the World Cup and meaning he will need a number of months before returning to action for Real Madrid, likely coming sometime in October.
Mohammed Salisu (CB, Ghana)
Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu suffered a torn ACL in the final moments of a Ligue 1 defeat to Lyon in late January, having already logged the regulation 90 minutes.
The 27-year-old has been a regular for Ghana since making his debut in 2022, but will not be available at the World Cup.
Patrick Agyemang (ST, USA)
Having risen from the lower levels of American soccer to the verge of a World Cup call-up, Patrick Agyemang seemed to embody the American dream. That made his Achilles tendon tear all the more painful, as the 25-year-old striker will miss the upcoming World Cup on home soil
After first earning a call-up to the national team while playing for Charlotte FC, a move to English side Derby County and subsequent success made Agyemang a serious possibility to be named to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad this summer. He was ruled out when he suffered the serious ankle injury in early April.
Johnny Cardoso (CM, USA)
The Atletico Madrid midfielder had been a rising star in the second half of this season, going from an afterthought at his new club to a regular contributor in the Champions League semifinals.
Unfortunately, his season took a turn for the worst at the end of the campaign, as Atleti announced that Cardoso had suffered a “high-grade ankle sprain” during a training session on May 7, which has ended his season and put his World Cup in serious jeopardy. Four days later, Fabrizio Romano confirmed on social media that Cardoso would be requiring surgery for his injury, and therefore will be missing the World Cup for certain.
Cardoso’s absence will be a big miss for the USMNT, where he would compete with Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and others for a spot in midfield at the FIFA tournament on home soil this summer.
MORE:Predicting the USMNT roster, starting lineup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Kaoru Mitoma (FW, Japan)
Mitoma looked set to comprise part of a formidable Japan forward line alongside Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo and Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda.
However, Mitoma sustained a hamstring injury during Brighton and Hove Albion’s 3-0 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in May and was left out of the final roster by Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.
“This will hurt him more than it hurts anyone,” he said. “I hope once he gets over this, he will recover as quickly as possible and get back to playing with total freedom.”
Estevao (FW, Brazil)
Chelsea youngster Estevao suffered an ill-timed hamstring injury, going down in mid-April in a Premier League match against Manchester United early on in the game.
Reports early on were that the injury was serious and surgery was recommended, which would guarantee his absence from this summer’s FIFA tournament. However, subsequent reports stated that the Brazil national team — and Estevao’s camp — were pushing for a non-surgical recovery plan with the goal of seeing him available for the World Cup.
The 18-year-old was omitted from Carlo Ancelotti’s provisional roster, meaning he will not be part of the final group heading to North America.
Ben White (RB, England)
Arsenal were gutted to see their right-back star go down with yet another injury on May 10, as he suffered a knee injury in a key Premier League match against West Ham.
Tests confirmed a “significant medial ligament injury” and Arsenal said the focus was now on White being ready for their pre-season preparations.
Haris Tabakovic (ST, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
It’s not often that a player with just 10 international caps is considered a key to their country’s success, but with Edin Dzeko now 40 years old and unlikely to be fit for consistent minutes at a grueling World Cup, the emergence of Borussia Monchengladbach’s veteran on the international stage was an important step in qualifying for their first World Cup since 2014.
Tabakovic scored his side’s only goal in the 1-1 draw with Italy in their qualifying final, his fourth goal in his last five caps, having bagged goals in their final two group games against Romania and Austria as well. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle fracture in Gladbach’s final match of the Bundesliga season that will keep him sidelined for up to six months, missing the World Cup in the process.
Billy Gilmour (CM, Scotland)
The former Chelsea youth product, currently playing at Napoli, was named to the Scotland squad ahead of the World Cup.
However, he was felled by a knee injury suffered in the friendly against Curacao on May 29, which Scotland won 4-1, and the federation announced he would miss the World Cup.
We regret to announce that the knee injury sustained by Billy Gilmour in today’s win over Curaçao will rule him out of participation in @FIFAWorldCup.
We’re all with you, Billy 💙
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) May 30, 2026
Christoph Baumgartner (AM, Austria)
Austria head coach Ralf Rangnick described Baumgartner’s injury as “very bitter news”, and it’s easy to see why.
The RB Leipzig midfielder suffered a thigh injury in a warm-up game against Tunisia on June 1, which will keep him out of a squad in which he was set to be one of the biggest stars.
Baumgartner registered 17 goals and nine assists in all competitions for Leipzig in 2025/26, and he will be a big loss for Austria at these finals.
💔 Christoph Baumgartner wird dem Nationalteam bei der WM fehlen.
ℹ️ Das steht nach der heutigen MRT-Untersuchung fest. Der 26-Jährige zog sich eine Verletzung der Muskulatur im rechten Oberschenkel zu.
Wir wünschen dir nur das Beste, Baumi! #GemeinsamÖSTERREICHpic.twitter.com/bEz8g6r1Oo
— ÖFB – oefb.at (@oefb1904) June 2, 2026
Leonardo Balerdi (CB, Argentina)
PSG defender Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the World Cup on the eve of the tournament, named to Argentina’s squad but reportedly pulling out with an injury on June 6.
Players at risk of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury
Neymar (LW, Brazil)
Iconic Brazilian winger Neymar was thrilled to make the Selecao roster for the World Cup after an injury-riddled two years of soul-searching. Yet that elation was short-lived, as an injury suffered while on club duty with Santos just before departing for World Cup duty threatens to cut his World Cup hopes short.
A calf injury sustained on May 17 was apparently worse than initially reported, and the team doctor confirmed that he had suffered a grade two tear. This ruled the 34-year-old out of the national team’s two warm-up friendlies against Panama and Egypt, and put his World Cup at risk.
An MRI scheduled for Monday, June 8 will determine the extent of his recovery and could determine his ability to either play at some point in the World Cup, or miss the tournament entirely.
Alphonso Davies (LB/LW, Canada)
Alphonso Davies has had a badly disrupted season with Bayern Munich due to injuries, starting only eight games in all competitions. On May 8, the club confirmed the Canada star was facing “several weeks” out of action due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Champions League semifinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. CanMNT staff will monitor his progress before deciding on whether or not he can be part of the World Cup roster.
Nico Williams (FW, Spain)
On May 10, just weeks before the start of the World Cup, Nico Williams was withdrawn in the 36th minute of Athletic Club’s defeat to Valencia. It appeared to be a muscle problem, as Williams muttered “it can’t be, it can’t be” as he came off the pitch.
Reporting in the days following the match indicated that the injury was not as bad as initially feared, and Williams will likely still be fit for the World Cup, as a low-grade muscle injury will keep him sidelined for around three weeks.
Regardless, it presents yet another injury issue for Spain, on top of the Lamine Yamal situation. It could mean that both of Spain’s starting wingers could be struggling with injuries or recent returns by the time the tournament begins.
Julio Enciso (CAM, Paraguay)
22-year-old budding star Julio Enciso had been rumored to be on his way to Chelsea this summer after a strong season at BlueCo feeder club Strasbourg, with a strong World Cup likely to bolster that chatter further.
Now, USA’s opening opponent Paraguay may have to figure out options without him as the young playmaker was felled in their final pre-tournament friendly against Nicaragua on June 5, stretchered off the pitch in tears in the 25th minute.
Reports in the immediate aftermath of the injury were more positive than the initial scenes would have indicated, however, and there’s a chance he could return for their final group stage game. If not, thought, there’s a chance Paraguay could be eliminated before Enciso could make his return.
Players recovered from injury to make World Cup rosters
Lamine Yamal (RW, Spain)
The injury everyone will be keeping an eye on ahead of the World Cup is to Spain superstar Lamine Yamal, whose La Liga season ended prematurely when he suffered a hamstring injury in late April while playing for Barcelona against Celta Vigo.
The biggest question in the immediate aftermath of the game was how serious would the injury turn out to be. In the end, he suffered a Grade 2 strain, which leaves his World Cup participation likely but not guaranteed. The recovery time for such an injury is usually four to six weeks, which would see him return just in the nick of time for World Cup participation.
However, a report from The Athletic says that he is facing a race against time. Lamine is likely to miss the country’s first group stage game against Cape Verde on June 15, and considered a “major doubt” for their second match against Saudi Arabia six days later. It’s starting to look more likely that, depending on Spain’s positioning in terms of knockout stage qualification, he could miss the group stage entirely and only return for the elimination round.
William Saliba (CB, France)
In the aftermath of the Champions League final, France were dealt a significant blow when Arsenal defender William Saliba aggravated a back injury that has left him “very doubtful” for the World Cup, according to a report from ESPN.
While that seems to indicate Saliba — a starter for Les Bleus at the back — is all but certainly out of the tournament, others are not so pessimistic about his chances to play. A report from French publication L’Equipe indicates that “his case will be managed with caution” and at this point he’s expected to participate.
It sounded like Saliba will, at the very least, miss time at the start of the tournament in the group stage, and while Didier Deschamps eased fears of a long-term absence, saying “If he had needed to play tomorrow, he would have played.” Still, that sounds like he will maybe miss some time early in the tournament as he is “managed.”
Luka Modric (CM, Croatia)
Croatia fans received a scare when iconic midfielder Luka Modric saw his club season ended prematurely thanks to a broken cheekbone, but there is hope he will return for the World Cup.
As the face of Croatia’s greatest generation of international success, Modric’s absence would be a massive blow to Zlatko Dalic’s hopes, even if the 40-year-old is not an every-minute machine these days. However, according to The Athletic, surgery on the “complex, multi-fragment” facial fracture is expected to see Modric recover in time for the World Cup, and indeed he was ultimately included on Zlatko Dalic’s final Croatia squad.
Chris Richards (CB, USA)
The USMNT got terrifying news when Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said that critical defender Chris Richards had “torn two ligaments” in his ankle.
The prognosis from Glasner, who indicated he was “50/50” to play in the UEFA Conference League final before serving as an unused substitute in the match, seems positive, but ankle injuries can be finicky and prone to re-injury, especially so close to the start of the World Cup. U.S. fans will be holding their breath until more is known about Richards’ availability for the tournament.
Richards was, in the end, included on the USMNT roster and is expected to play a role in the World Cup, although he could miss time early in the competition. For now, Richards is rehabbing his ankle in Atlanta at the USMNT training facility and will not take part in the friendly against Senegal. He is, unquestionably, their most important defender and a top-two most important player in the squad alongside Christian Pulisic.
Emiliano Martinez (GK, Argentina)
After winning the 2022 title with one of the most iconic saves in World Cup history, the 33-year-old enters this summer fresh off a Europa League title with Aston Villa. Unfortunately, Dibu broke a finger in the warmups prior to the title match in Istanbul on May 20, and that has left him questionable to be fit enough for the summer tournament.
Martinez would go on to play the match, but he said after the game that “every time I made a save it went the wrong way.” That’s far from ideal for a goalkeeper who makes a living with their hands, and now Argentina will have to assess his fitness, as the injury will surely swell up and require time to heal.
Dibu is a tough cookie, but even he will know that a broken finger would certainly threaten his place at the 2026 tournament. He is on the Argentina roster and is expected to play at the World Cup, but to what effect it remains to be seen.
Cristian Romero (CB, Argentina)
Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has suffered through multiple injuries over the course of a difficult club season in London. Having finally returned for the stretch run, he then went down for the remainder of the club campaign after a collision with his own goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after being pushed in the back by Sunderland‘s Brian Brobbey.
Romero picked up a potentially serious knee injury in the process, with reports claiming he would miss between five and eight weeks of action. This puts Romero right up against it with regards to the World Cup, although it does not seem a likely prospect that he passes fit for action. His loss would be a significant blow to defending champions Argentina where he is a starter at the back when fit.
Like Martinez, Romero was included on the Argentina roster, but it’s unclear what his immediate availability is at the start of the tournament.
Giorgian De Arrascaeta (CM, Uruguay)
While not the flashiest player in the Uruguay squad, 32-year-old Giorgian De Arrascaeta has proven to be an important piece of the puzzle throughout his international career, accumulating 59 international caps. Playing for Brazilian giants Flamengo since joining in 2019, De Arrascaeta was gearing up for his third World Cup appearance after tagging along in 2018 and 2022.
Unfortunately, that is in serious jeopardy now as the Uruguayan playmaker reportedly picked up a muscle injury in pre-World Cup training. While it’s unclear exactly what the extent of the issue is, there are whispers that he could be ruled out of the World Cup.
Yet Uruguay decided to keep him in the squad despite the injury, with reports indicating that he could return after 15 days on the sideline, meaning he could be back for either their final group stage match, or a potential Round of 32 game.
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