Arsenal to receive £4m FIFA compensation for William Saliba injury

Arsenal are expected to receive more than £4m in compensation from FIFA after defender William Saliba suffered a severe back injury during the 2026 World Cup.

The 24-year-old limped off 30 minutes into France’s 2-0 semi-final defeat by Spain on Tuesday.

He was replaced by Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix as his country crashed out of the tournament.

It has now emerged the French defender could be sidelined for up to five months and may require surgery.

World Cup campaign ends in agony

The former Saint-Etienne prospect had been battling through the pain barrier since March before breaking down entirely.

His current issue closely mirrors a similar back injury sustained toward the end of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

National team manager Didier Deschamps confirmed the severity of the problem ahead of the third-place play-off against England.

“William Saliba got injured and it’s problematic,” Deschamps stated.

FIFA compensation conditions met

“He faced that injury since March, he had some pain and unfortunately the pain was not bearable.”

Mikel Arteta’s side are yet to provide an official recovery timeframe for their star centre-half.

However, the North London club are understood to be preparing for his absence until mid-November at the earliest.

This prolonged layoff allows the Gunners to activate the FIFA Club Protection Programme.

Financial relief for the Gunners

The governing body’s scheme provides financial cover for the wages of players who sustain injuries on international duty, provided they are sidelined for a minimum of 28 consecutive days.

With the centre-back earning a reported £250,000 per week, the total compensation claim is expected to reach at least £4m.

While the financial injection offers some flexibility in the transfer market, losing such a crucial figure represents a significant early blow to Arsenal’s upcoming domestic campaign.