The superstars set to miss World Cup 2026 through injury - including Chelsea and Liverpool gems
A number of world football's most talented players look set to miss this summer's tournament due to injury
For a top class footballer with aspirations of starring on the global stage this summer, it’s a rather awkward time of year. Challenges normally flown into with gusto are often daintily sidestepped, and those forty metre dashes back for defenders playing a high line are undertaken with notably less ferocity.
Going down with an injury at this stage of the season is the stuff of nightmares for elite footballers,many of whom are just a couple of months away from jetting off to the World Cup in North America. The expanded tournament will be FIFA’s largest ever, with a whopping 104 matches scheduled over the course of the 39-day competition across Canada, Mexico and the USA.
As the countdown to the 11th June opener between Mexico and South Africa continues, we’ve taken a look at all the players currently set to miss out on the 2026 World Cup due to injury.
World Cup 2026 injuries - Brazil set to be hit hard
As always, Brazil are among the pre-tournament favourites. Sure, they haven’t won the World Cup in 24 years and had a notably underwhelming qualification campaign with just eight wins from 18 matches, but come the summer Carlo Ancelotti’s side will surely turn on the Samba magic once again. However, they’ve got some serious injury issues to contend with.
Real Madrid right-winger Rodrygo won’t feature at the tournament after tearing his ACL back in March. On top of that, powerhouse defender Eder Militao, also of Real Madrid, is set to undergo surgery on his hamstring, which will also rule him out of action. Meanwhile, Chelsea gem Estevao is also carrying a hamstring injury, albeit less serious than Militao’s. He won’t play for the Blues again this season, and it’s touch and go over whether he makes the World Cup. Barcelona’s Raphinha had been sidelined with a thigh injury, but should be fine.
France, another of the pre-tournament favourites, have one massive headache going into the competition - Kylian Mbappe. Arguably the world’s best footballer on his day, the Real Madrid forward is in a race against time to make the French squad, after suffering - you guessed it - a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike will definitely not feature, as he’s out potentially until next year after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Speaking of Liverpool, Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah has been ruled out for potentially of four weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury, meaning he’ll under pressure to be fully match fit by mid-June.
World Cup 2026 injuries - will Lamine Yamal go to World Cup?
There are a couple of question marks for Spain, too, including wonderkid Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona gem is out for the rest of his club’s season due to a knee injury, but there remains a cautious optimism that he could recover in time for the tournament - it would be a real blow not to have a player of his quality involved at all. Arsenal’s Mikel Merino is also sweating over his place in the squad, as he continues to recovery from a stress fracture in his right foot that’s kept him off the field since January.
Some nations are, as things stand, in a better position injury wise than the likes of Brazil and France. England, for example, are currently only sweating over star right-back Reece James, who is expected to return for Chelsea before the end of the season. Similarly, Germany are currently only without Serge Gnabry, who won’t feature due to an adductor injury. However, they are still waiting news on the extend of Kai Havertz’s upper leg issue.
For the Netherlands, there will be no Xavi Simons - you may remember the absolute banger he scored against England in the Euro 2024 semi-final - after he ruptured his ACL against Wolves. His Spurs teammate Cristian Romero could still participate for Argentina, however, if he can shake off a knee injury in time. The Argentines will be without both Juan Foyth and Joaquin Panichelli, though.
Croatia veteran Luka Modric may have to play with a mask after fracturing a cheekbone playing for AC Milan. Ghana will be without two key players in Mohammed Salisu and Mohammed Kudus, while Japan will have no Takumi Minamino, but could have Liverpool’s Wataru Endo back as he continues to make progress in recovery from an ankle injury.