Eighteen players confirmed out of World Cup 2026 before the tournament began — and the injury list has grown since kickoff. Brazil lead the pre-tournament injury table with 4 absent, and have since lost Raphinha to a hamstring strain in the group stage. England face a crisis at right-back with Reece James potentially out for the rest of the tournament. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah is battling a hamstring strain ahead of their R32 clash. The Netherlands lost three Premier League players before the tournament — then were eliminated by Morocco on penalties in the R32. Scotland were eliminated in the group stage without the injured Billy Gilmour.
Data sourced from official squad announcements, club medical bulletins and match reports. Correct as of 3 July 2026 — Round of 32 stage.
Key in-tournament injuries and availability concerns as the Round of 16 approaches:
🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah (Egypt): Suffered a hamstring strain in the 1-1 draw with Iran, asking to be substituted on 57 minutes. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan says Salah is fit enough to play some role vs Australia in the R32 (3 July), but has not confirmed he will start. “We look forward to him playing tomorrow, not sure though whether he is going to be in the starting lineup.”
🇧🇷 Neymar (Brazil): Returned from a pre-tournament calf injury with a 14-minute cameo off the bench vs Scotland in the final group game. Remained an unused substitute in Brazil’s 2-1 R32 win over Japan — Ancelotti said he was saving Neymar for potential extra time. “In the end, we did not need him.” Brazil face Ivory Coast/Norway in the R16.
🇧🇷 Raphinha (Brazil): Suffered a hamstring injury in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti, limping off before half-time. Missed the Scotland group finale. Undergoing intensive treatment; no update on R16 availability.
🏴 Reece James (England): Hamstring injury worse than first thought. Picked up the problem in the 0-0 draw with Ghana and has not trained since. Sky Sports reports his World Cup could be over unless England reach the later knockout rounds. Did not travel to the Panama group game. Listed on the bench but unused in England’s 2-1 R32 win over DR Congo.
🏴 Declan Rice (England): Managing a calf issue — removed at 72 minutes vs Croatia, left the Ghana game with strapping on his calf. Rested for the Panama group game. Started England’s 2-1 R32 win over DR Congo before being replaced by John Stones. His fitness remains a concern for the R16 vs Mexico.
🇺🇸 Christian Pulisic (USA): Suffered a calf injury in the opener vs Paraguay, missed the Australia match, returned as a 32-minute sub vs Turkey. Started the 2-0 R32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina and declared himself fully fit. “I’m definitely ready to go.”
🇺🇸 Folarin Balogun (USA): Sent off after a VAR review in the 64th minute vs Bosnia-Herzegovina (R32). Suspended for the R16 match vs Belgium. Balogun had scored 3 goals in the tournament before the red card.
🇪🇸 Nico Williams (Spain): Groin problem sustained in the win over Uruguay. Availability for the knockouts in doubt — may be ruled out for the tournament.
🇪🇸 Yeremy Pino (Spain): Collarbone injury against Uruguay. Could miss the rest of the tournament.
🇩🇪 Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany): Ankle ligament injury confirmed 22 June, two days after the Ivory Coast match. Misses the rest of the tournament. [Germany eliminated on penalties by Paraguay in R32]
🇦🇷 Cristian Romero (Argentina): Forced off with a knee problem in Argentina’s win over Austria. Future involvement uncertain — monitoring for updates.
Players at risk (one yellow in R32): Casemiro & Danilo (Brazil), Jude Bellingham (England), Nathan Saliba & Niko Sigur (Canada), Andres Cubas & Matias Galarza (Paraguay), Issa Diop (Morocco), Antonio Nusa (Norway), Brandon Mechele (Belgium).
Suspended for R16: Folarin Balogun (USA — red card vs Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Group stage exits: Scotland, Ecuador (3rd place but eliminated by Mexico 2-0 in R32)
Round of 32 exits: Germany (lost on pens to Paraguay), Netherlands (lost on pens to Morocco), Japan (2-1 vs Brazil), Sweden (lost to France), South Africa (0-1 vs Canada)
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All 18 Confirmed Absences — Full List
Every player whose World Cup 2026 participation was officially ruled out — through squad omission or confirmed medical withdrawal. Sorted by nation.
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🇦🇹Christoph Baumgartner (Austria)Thigh injury · Out since 1 Jun 2026
Out
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🇧🇷Rodrygo (Brazil · Real Madrid)ACL + meniscus rupture · Out since 5 Mar 2026
Out
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🇧🇷Éder Militão (Brazil · Real Madrid)Thigh injury + surgery · Out since 28 Apr 2026
Out
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🇧🇷Estevão (Brazil · Chelsea)Thigh injury · Out since 18 Apr 2026
Out
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🇧🇷Wesley (Brazil · Flamengo)Thigh injury in training · Out since 7 Jun 2026
Out
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🇨🇦Moise Bombito (Canada)Shin fracture relapse · Out since Jun 2026
Out
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🇨🇦Marcelo Flores (Canada)Muscle injury · Out since 31 May 2026
Out
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🇫🇷Hugo Ekitike (France · Eintracht Frankfurt)Achilles tendon rupture · Out since 14 Apr 2026
Out
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🇩🇪Serge Gnabry (Germany · Bayern Munich)Adductor injury · Out since 22 Apr 2026
Out
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🇩🇪Lennart Karl (Germany · SC Freiburg)Thigh muscle tear · Out since 6 Jun 2026
Out
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🇲🇦Abde Ezzalzouli (Morocco · Real Betis)Knee injury (in tournament) · Out since 11 Jun 2026
Out
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🇲🇽Luis Malagón (Mexico)Achilles rupture · Out since 10 Mar 2026
Out
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🇳🇱Xavi Simons (Netherlands · Tottenham Hotspur)ACL rupture · Out since 25 Apr 2026
Out
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🇳🇱Jurrien Timber (Netherlands · Arsenal)Chronic groin · Out since 9 Jun 2026
Out
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🇳🇱Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands · Manchester United)Back surgery · Out since May 2026
Out
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🏴Billy Gilmour (Scotland · Brighton)Knee injury (pre-tournament friendly) · Out since May 2026
Out
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🇪🇸Fermín López (Spain · Barcelona)Metatarsal fracture · Out since 17 May 2026
Out
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🇪🇸Samu Aghehowa (Spain · Porto)ACL rupture · Out since 10 Feb 2026
Out
The Biggest Names Missing
Three of the four highest-profile absences have Premier League connections — a direct concern for UK fans following their clubs through this tournament.
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Brazil — 4 Players Out, Hardest Hit Nation
No nation has suffered more pre-tournament injuries than Brazil. Four players — across the forward line and defence — were ruled out before a ball was kicked.
Éder Militão (Real Madrid): Thigh injury requiring surgery, 28 April. First-choice centre-back.
Estevão (Chelsea): Thigh injury, 18 April. Chelsea’s £52m signing had only just moved to London before his season ended.
Wesley (Flamengo): Thigh injury in training, 7 June — four days before the tournament opened. The latest and most bitter blow.
Despite losing four players, Brazil remain 8/1 tournament favourites with most UK bookmakers. Vinícius Jr, Neymar’s long-standing successor as the focal point of Brazil’s attack, remains fit and is expected to lead their campaign.
Netherlands — Three Premier League Players Gone [ELIMINATED — lost to Morocco on pens, R32]
The Netherlands lose three players — all of whom play for Premier League clubs. For British fans, this is the most tangible injury story of the tournament.
Jurrien Timber (Arsenal): Chronic groin issue, ruled out on 9 June — three days before the Netherlands’ first match. Timber had recovered from an ACL in 2023; the groin issue is a separate, recurring problem.
Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United): Back surgery in May. The former Bayern Munich centre-back was in contention for a starting berth alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Germany, France, Spain — Other Casualties [Germany ELIMINATED — lost to Paraguay on pens, R32]
| Nation | Player | Club | Injury | Out Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich | Adductor injury | 22 Apr 2026 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Lennart Karl | SC Freiburg | Thigh muscle tear | 6 Jun 2026 |
| 🇫🇷 France | Hugo Ekitike | Eintracht Frankfurt | Achilles tendon rupture | 14 Apr 2026 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Fermín López | Barcelona | Metatarsal fracture | 17 May 2026 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Samu Aghehowa | Porto | ACL rupture | 10 Feb 2026 |
Germany’s Lennart Karl suffered his thigh tear on 6 June — five days before Germany’s tournament opener. Gnabry’s adductor injury is reportedly a recurrence of a problem that kept him out for several weeks earlier in the season. France lose Ekitike — the Eintracht Frankfurt striker who was Didier Deschamps’s fourth attacking option — to an Achilles rupture, one of the longer recovery injuries in football.
Scotland’s Billy Gilmour — The UK Angle [ELIMINATED — group stage]
Injury: Knee, sustained in Scotland’s final pre-tournament friendly, May 2026
Impact: Gilmour was Scotland’s most technically assured central midfielder — capable of playing between the lines against both Morocco and Brazil.
Scotland without him: Steve Clarke’s side beat Haiti 1-0 in their opener, with Ben Gannon-Doak filling the creative void. Scotland face Morocco on Friday in Boston — their best chance to secure a second win without Gilmour. Update: Scotland lost 1-0 to Morocco and were eliminated in the group stage. Steve Clarke resigned as manager.
The Most Common Injury Types at World Cup 2026
- Thigh / muscle tears (5 cases): The most frequent. Typically 6–12 weeks recovery; those injured in April or May often make the tournament, those in June rarely do. Militão, Estevão, Gnabry, Karl and Wesley all fall here.
- ACL ruptures (4 cases): The most season-ending. Minimum 9 months recovery. Rodrygo, Simons, Samu Aghehowa and Bombito — all confirmed season over before the tournament began.
- Achilles ruptures (2 cases): Second-most serious. 6–9 months recovery minimum. Ekitike (France) and Malagón (Mexico) both out since April or earlier.
- Knee injuries (2 cases): Gilmour (Scotland) and Ezzalzouli (Morocco) both listed as knee — severity varies; neither will feature at the 2026 tournament.
- Historically: Muscle and thigh injuries account for approximately 42% of all confirmed World Cup absentees, according to FIFA Medical Centre data across the last five tournaments.
In-Tournament Injury — Morocco’s Ezzalzouli
Injury: Knee injury sustained 11 June 2026 — the opening day of the tournament
Impact: Ezzalzouli was one of Morocco’s most direct attackers. He will miss the remainder of the group stage, including Friday’s match against Scotland in Boston. Update: Morocco beat Scotland 1-0, then eliminated the Netherlands on penalties in the R32. Ezzalzouli did not feature in the group stage.
For Scotland fans: Morocco face Scotland next without one of their first-choice attackers — a potential advantage for Steve Clarke’s side.
