Thomas Tuchel has admitted that Bukayo Saka is “playing through discomfort” with an Achilles injury, raising questions about the Arsenal winger's availability for England's World Cup campaign. The England head coach has stated that Saka is “not on his 100%” and requires careful management, saying “it is very unlikely Bukayo starts and finishes all the matches from now on.”
Saka, who has scored 14 goals in 48 appearances for England, is one of the team's most important players. The 2026 World Cup begins on 17 June, with England playing their first group match against Croatia. Tuchel has emphasised that the team must “dare to dream” but acknowledged that history is against them – England have not won a major men’s tournament since the 1966 World Cup.
“Explains Bukayo Saka's Achilles injury and its impact on England's World Cup”
Saka’s injury dates back to March 2026, when he withdrew from England’s friendly against Japan. Tuchel said at the time that Saka was “pushing through at 70%” and had been feeling discomfort for “quite a while”. In the final weeks of the Premier League season, Arsenal and Saka decided together to let him “play through his pain and discomfort, even if it was not possible to train the whole week in the build-ups”. He still played a key role in Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final, where he was substituted in the 83rd minute against Paris Saint-Germain.
Saka joined the England camp later than other Arsenal players, having been given an extra week off after the Champions League final. The other Arsenal players in the squad – Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke – are all at 100% fitness, according to Tuchel. But Saka is still “not there yet” and is missing “consecutive training”. Tuchel has said Saka is “the one we are building and taking care of in training” and that he is currently “not able to do every training session through the week and then play”.
England have two warm-up matches before the World Cup: a 1-0 win against New Zealand on 6 June, and a final friendly against Costa Rica on 10 June. Tuchel plans to give players 60–70 minutes in that game to build fitness. Any player who does not get minutes will play a behind-closed-doors match against Miami FC on 11 June.
### Why it matters for UK readers Saka is England’s most reliable attacking outlet and his absence or reduced effectiveness would be a major blow to the team’s chances. England have struggled at major tournaments – they reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020 but fell short. With the 2026 World Cup being hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico, expectations are high. If Saka cannot start or finish matches, Tuchel may have to rely on alternatives such as Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford or Morgan Rogers on the right wing. The tournament kicks off in just over a week, so Saka’s recovery timeline is critical.
### Key questions answered
Q: What is Bukayo Saka’s current injury? Saka is struggling with an Achilles injury that he has been managing since March 2026. He is “playing through discomfort” and has not been able to train fully. Tuchel has said Saka is “not on his 100%” and is being carefully managed.
Q: Will Bukayo Saka play in England’s World Cup opener against Croatia? Tuchel has not confirmed. He said Saka is “available” for the warm-up match against Costa Rica but that it is “very unlikely” he starts and finishes all matches from now on. The final decision will depend on Saka’s fitness before the Croatia game on 17 June.
Q: Who can replace Bukayo Saka on England’s right wing? Tuchel has mentioned that Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford could play on the right, but Noni Madueke is “really his only other pure option”. Tuchel wants clarity and said he hopes to avoid “a lot of experiments” during the tournament.
### What happens next England play Costa Rica on 10 June in their final warm-up match. Tuchel expects to field a team close to his starting XI for the Croatia game. After that, the World Cup begins, with England’s first group match against Croatia on 17 June. Saka’s fitness will be monitored daily, and Tuchel will decide whether to start him or use him as a substitute. A behind-closed-doors game against Miami FC on 11 June may also be used to give minutes to players who need them.