Arsenal defender William Saliba has withdrawn from France's World Cup warm-ups against Brazil and Colombia due to an ankle injury.

The French Football Federation confirmed Saliba is suffering from recurring pain in his left ankle. He completed the full 90 minutes in Sunday's Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City. Saliba has recently been nursing an ankle sprain and was already ruled out of Arsenal matches against Mansfield Town and Brighton & Hove Albion.

What happened to William Saliba?

Saliba's injury is a managed one rather than a major absence. The initial rest period will come to an end for Saliba at the start of April. Arsenal staff will likely be regularly monitoring his health throughout those 10 days.

Upcoming Arsenal Fixtures

The Gunners' first game back is an FA Cup quarterfinal away at Southampton on April 4. They then travel to Lisbon for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting CP. As of June 29, 2026, Arsenal sit top of the Premier League with 85 points from 38 games, 7 points clear of Manchester City. Their recent form has been strong, with 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5 games, and they are unbeaten in their last 5 matches. | Category | Stat | | --- | --- | | League Standing | 1st in Premier League | | Points | 85 | | Recent Form | 3W-2D-0L |

Will Saliba be Fit for Crucial Arsenal Matches?

The Gunners should have it within them to beat Southampton without some of their usual starters present. The more challenging match comes three days later when the team travels to Lisbon. Arsenal's last result was a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint Germain on May 30, 2026. With 71 goals scored and 27 conceded, Arsenal have a +44 goal difference this season. Their lead at the top of the Premier League is a significant one, and they will be hoping to maintain it in the coming weeks.