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William Saliba’s fitness has become a key point of concern for France as they prepare for their World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal.

The Arsenal centre-back’s physical condition has worried French supporters, with the team’s first match of the tournament fast approaching.

Saliba sustained a back injury towards the end of the domestic season and underwent a scan earlier this month to assess how serious the issue was.

There were initial fears that the defender might have to miss the World Cup entirely — a major setback for France manager Didier Deschamps, who has shown strong trust in the 25-year-old as his preferred central defender.

Saliba did not feature in Les Bleus’ 2-1 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast on Thursday, June 4, after playing in the Champions League final just five days earlier. However, he did return to action, playing the first half of France’s 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in their final warm-up game four days later.

The French squad then departed for North America to begin preparations for their Group I opener against Senegal in New Jersey. Deschamps confirmed that Saliba remains an integral part of his tactical setup.

Speaking to ESPN before the friendly against Ivory Coast, Deschamps said: “William is fine and will be managed.”

Against Northern Ireland, Saliba partnered Dayot Upamecano at the heart of the defence, but Deschamps noted that various considerations would determine his starting lineup for the World Cup opener.

He explained: “They all want to be in the starting lineup. We’ll be mindful of the frustration that this can create. Also, because of the specific situation in the United States, the gap between each match, we’ll learn other things.”

Saliba, who holds the no.2 position in FourFourTwo’s ranking of the world’s best centre-backs, has started every France match he has been eligible for since June 2024 — a strong indication that he will likely start against Senegal.

The defender has already accumulated 54 appearances for both club and country this season, playing a significant role in Arsenal’s Premier League title win and their journey to the Champions League final, where they were defeated by Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite his back problem, Saliba featured for the full 120 minutes of the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30 before joining the French national squad the following week.

France will have a six-day break between their first and second Group I fixtures, facing Iraq in Philadelphia next Monday, before concluding the group stage against Norway in Boston on Friday, May 26.