The FIFA World Cup 2026 injuries tracker is the most important page for every football fan between now and June 11. With the tournament just 18 days away, the injury news is coming fast — some of the biggest names in world football are racing against time to be fit while others have already been ruled out entirely.
From Manuel Neuer’s shock fitness doubt to Alphonso Davies’ hamstring race, from Matthijs de Ligt’s surgery to Jamal Musiala’s remarkable recovery — this is your complete, updated guide to every major World Cup 2026 injury story.
We will update this article every time new injury information breaks. Bookmark it now.
🔴 CONFIRMED OUT — Will Not Play
Rodrygo (Brazil) — ACL Injury
Status: OUT — tournament ended before it began Brazil’s Real Madrid winger suffered a complete ACL rupture earlier this season — one of football’s most serious injuries requiring six to nine months recovery. He was excluded from Carlo Ancelotti’s official 26-man squad announced on May 18. Brazil’s most technically gifted wide attacker will watch from home as Vinicius Jr, Raphinha and Neymar carry the Seleção’s hopes.
Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands) — Back Surgery
Status: OUT — had additional surgery The Manchester United centre-back has failed to recover from a long-standing back issue and has had additional surgery in a bid to return fully fit for the start of the 2026-27 European club season. De Ligt has not played for Manchester United since November 30. Despite working his way back to fitness over the past few weeks he went under the knife again as his rehabilitation was not going according to plan. United do not expect him to return until early in the new campaign — meaning he misses the World Cup entirely.
Hugo Ekitike (France) — Achilles Tendon
Status: OUT — confirmed absent The explosive young French striker ruptured his Achilles tendon and was officially excluded from Didier Deschamps’ final squad. His absence removes one of France’s most dangerous attacking options and creates additional responsibility for Mbappé, Thuram and the rest of the attacking options in the squad.
Johnny Cardoso (USA) — Ankle Surgery
Status: OUT — confirmed absent The United States midfielder requires ankle surgery and will miss the World Cup entirely — a significant blow for co-hosts USA ahead of their opening match against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. Cardoso had become one of the most important players in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield setup.
🟡 SERIOUS DOUBT — Race Against Time
Manuel Neuer (Germany) — Injury Setback
Status: SERIOUS DOUBT — cannot play Sunday In one of the most dramatic pre-tournament stories, Bayern Munich’s sporting director Max Eberl confirmed that Neuer — who came out of international retirement specifically for this World Cup — is unable to play in the DFB-Pokal Cup Final on Sunday May 25. Eberl said via AFP: “We made this decision together, however difficult it is for Manu to agree to sit out the final.”
Neuer retired from international football after Euro 2024 and said just last month he had no intention of returning. His shock recall to Germany’s squad by Julian Nagelsmann was one of the tournament’s biggest stories. Now his fitness is in genuine doubt. Germany do not begin their World Cup until June 14 against Curaçao — giving Neuer approximately three weeks to prove his fitness. Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel are the backup options.
Alphonso Davies (Canada) — Hamstring Tear
Status: RACE AGAINST TIME Bayern Munich confirmed Davies suffered a muscle tear in his left hamstring during the Champions League semi-final against PSG on May 7. The recovery timeline of four to six weeks puts his availability for Canada’s opening match on June 12 in serious doubt. Canada Soccer confirmed they are working closely with Bayern Munich’s medical team to give him the best possible pathway back to fitness.
Davies is Canada’s most important player and the face of their home World Cup campaign. Without him Canada lose their most dangerous attacker and most experienced European-level talent. His three group matches — Bosnia on June 12, Switzerland on June 18 and Qatar on June 24 — all hang in the balance.
Chris Richards (USA) — Ankle Injury
Status: SERIOUS — three weeks before World Cup US Men’s National Team defender Chris Richards is dealing with a serious ankle injury just three weeks before the start of the World Cup. The Americans open against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. Richards had become a key figure in Pochettino’s defensive setup and his availability for the opening match is now in genuine doubt. Coach Mauricio Pochettino reveals his final roster on Monday May 26 — Richards’ fitness will be monitored until the last moment.
Lamine Yamal (Spain) — Hamstring
Status: EXPECTED FIT — being monitored Spain’s teenage superstar suffered a hamstring injury at Barcelona in late April. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has expressed optimism that Yamal will be available for Spain’s first match on June 15 against Cape Verde. His fitness is being monitored daily. If fully fit Yamal is arguably the most exciting player at the entire tournament. Every day between now and June 15 matters.
Nico Williams (Spain) — Knee
Status: DOUBT — fitness being monitored Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams has suffered a knee injury setback that adds to Spain’s injury concerns alongside Yamal. If both Yamal and Williams miss Spain’s opening matches the co-favourites’ attacking options are significantly weakened. Spain’s medical team are working intensively to have both available.
🟢 RECOVERED — Confirmed Fit After Injury Scare
Jamal Musiala (Germany) — Broken Leg
Status: CONFIRMED FIT ✅ One of the most remarkable recovery stories of the pre-tournament period. Musiala suffered a broken leg during the Club World Cup in 2025 — an injury that put his entire World Cup participation in serious doubt for months. He has now recovered and been confirmed in Germany’s official 26-man squad by Nagelsmann. His partnership with Florian Wirtz in Germany’s attacking midfield is one of the most anticipated individual combinations of the tournament. Germany fans can breathe again.
Joško Gvardiol (Croatia) — Fractured Tibia
Status: CONFIRMED FIT ✅ The Manchester City left-back recently recovered from a fractured tibia that seriously threatened his participation. Croatia confirmed he will follow a special preparation plan with their medical staff to ensure he arrives at the tournament in peak condition. His availability transforms Croatia’s attacking and defensive capabilities on the left side.
Marin Pongračić (Croatia) — Facial Fracture
Status: CONFIRMED FIT ✅ The AC Milan defender recently recovered from a facial fracture. He will follow a special preparation plan created between AC Milan and Croatia’s medical staff ahead of their June 17 opener against England.
🔵 MONITORING — Injury Concerns to Watch
Mateo Kovačić (Croatia) — Achilles Tendon
Status: MONITORING — missed most of season The Manchester City midfielder missed most of the 2025-26 season due to Achilles tendon problems. His availability from minute one against England on June 17 is uncertain. Croatia will manage his minutes carefully through the group stage to ensure he is at full capacity for the knockout rounds.
Julián Álvarez (Argentina) — Ankle
Status: MONITORING — expected fit The Atlético Madrid striker has been dealing with an ankle injury in the latter stages of the club season. He is expected to be fully fit for Argentina’s opening match against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City but will be monitored through Argentina’s preparation matches.
Gleison Bremer (Brazil) — Post-Surgery
Status: MONITORING The Juventus centre-back is included in Brazil’s squad but continues to be monitored following surgery earlier in the season. His availability for the Morocco match on June 13 will depend on his progression through Brazil’s training camp.
The DR Congo Situation — Ebola Isolation Order
In one of the most extraordinary pre-tournament stories in World Cup history, the White House Task Force for the World Cup has ordered that DR Congo must isolate for 21 days as the country deals with an outbreak of the Ebola virus. This directly affects DR Congo’s preparation and travel plans for their matches in Group K against Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia. FIFA is monitoring the situation closely.
Frequently Asked Questions World Cup 2026 Injuries
Which players are definitely out of the World Cup 2026?
Confirmed absences include Rodrygo (Brazil — ACL), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands — back surgery), Hugo Ekitike (France — Achilles), and Johnny Cardoso (USA — ankle surgery). All four have been officially excluded from their national team squads.
Is Manuel Neuer fit for the World Cup 2026?
Manuel Neuer’s fitness is in serious doubt after Bayern Munich confirmed he cannot play in the DFB-Pokal Final on May 25. Germany begin their World Cup on June 14 against Curaçao — giving Neuer approximately three weeks to recover. Oliver Baumann is the backup option if Neuer cannot play.
Is Alphonso Davies playing at World Cup 2026?
Alphonso Davies suffered a hamstring tear on May 7 and faces a race against time to be fit for Canada’s opening match on June 12. The four to six week recovery timeline makes his availability for the first match extremely doubtful. He may return for later group matches.
Is Lamine Yamal fit for World Cup 2026?
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has expressed optimism that Yamal will be available for Spain’s first match on June 15. He suffered a hamstring injury in late April and is being closely monitored. His fitness is the most important individual update in Spanish football right now.
Is Jamal Musiala fit for World Cup 2026?
Yes. Jamal Musiala has been confirmed fit after recovering from a broken leg suffered during the Club World Cup. He is in Germany’s official 26-man squad and is expected to be available for their opening match on June 14 against Curaçao.
Which Arab team players have injury concerns for World Cup 2026?
The main injury concerns affecting Arab teams are Alphonso Davies for Canada — who face Qatar on June 24 — meaning Qatar fans will be monitoring his fitness closely. No major injury concerns have been confirmed for Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq or Jordan’s squads at the time of writing.
Conclusion
The World Cup 2026 injuries tracker will be updated regularly as new information emerges between now and the tournament. With 18 days until kick-off, the injury situation is changing daily — bookmark this page and check back for the latest updates on every player racing against time.
The World Cup starts June 11. Every day of recovery matters.
See the full schedule: USA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule Who wins the tournament?
Read: World Cup 2026 Favourites to Win — Top 10 Predictions
Which injury concerns you most heading into World Cup 2026? Tell us in the comments!
Meta Description: World Cup 2026 injuries tracker updated daily — Neuer doubt, Davies hamstring, de Ligt surgery, Musiala fit, Yamal monitored. Every confirmed injury and recovery story before June 11.