Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres and five other Arsenal stars are set to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches after qualifying for the UEFA Champions League final. The international window is expected to be disrupted as the Gunners players will report late to their respective national teams' camps.
The North London side will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30, just six days after the Premier League season ends. Bukayo Saka’s decisive goal against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium secured a 2-1 aggregate victory for Arsenal, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
Arsenal Stars to Miss Warm-Up Games
National team managers are reportedly considering giving players additional rest ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to reduce the risk of injuries. According to Football London, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli could miss Brazil’s friendly against Panama in Rio de Janeiro on May 31, while Gabriel Jesus may also be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Norway international Martin Odegaard and Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres will also miss their Scandinavian clash due to timing conflicts on June 1. Norway has a final World Cup warm-up match against Morocco in New Jersey before appearing at their first finals since 1998, while Sweden hosts Greece in Stockholm before heading to North America.
Piero Hincapie is also set to miss Ecuador’s clash with Saudi Arabia on May 30 due to Arsenal’s European final involvement. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz is expected to miss Germany’s fixture against Finland on May 31.
England Players Available
England’s warm-up fixtures will not begin until June 6 against New Zealand in Tampa, with their World Cup campaign set to start on June 17 against Croatia, according to UK Mirror. Players such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Ben White, Noni Madueke, and Myles Lewis-Skelly could benefit from additional rest, and possibly a celebratory parade, before linking up with Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
FIFA regulations also state that clubs involved in UEFA finals are not required to release players for international duty until June 30. Arsenal have just four matches remaining, including the Champions League final, before players shift focus to international duty and the 2026 World Cup.
Supercomputer Predicts Arsenal’s Opponent
Legit.ng previously reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted Arsenal’s opponent in the Champions League final after beating Atletico Madrid. One of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich will reach the final later on Wednesday and face Mikel Arteta’s side in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
