By Nadi Ntiamoah
England’s preparations for their highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L showdown against Ghana have been overshadowed by fresh concerns over the fitness of star winger Bukayo Saka after he missed full team training on Saturday.
The Arsenal forward was absent from England’s group session as the Three Lions intensified preparations for Tuesday’s crucial encounter with the Black Stars.
Instead of training with his teammates, Saka remained indoors following an individual programme as medical staff continue to carefully manage an Achilles injury that has troubled him for several months.
His absence comes at a critical stage of the tournament as England and Ghana prepare for what could prove to be the defining match in Group L. Both nations began their World Cup campaigns with victories and currently sit level on three points, making Tuesday’s clash one of the standout fixtures of the group stage.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel conducted a full training session with the remaining 25 members of his squad at the Swope Soccer Village training complex in Kansas City. However, Saka’s continued rehabilitation ensured he was the only player unavailable for the session.
The 24-year-old has been battling an Achilles problem since March, prompting England’s medical team and coaching staff to adopt a cautious approach throughout the World Cup preparations. Prior to the tournament, Tuchel had already acknowledged that the winger’s workload would require careful monitoring to avoid aggravating the injury.
Despite the setback, Saka remains one of England’s most influential attacking players and demonstrated his importance during the team’s opening 4-2 victory over Croatia. Although he started the match on the bench, the winger made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute.
Within minutes of his introduction, Saka created England’s fourth goal by providing the assist for Marcus Rashford, helping the Three Lions secure a convincing opening victory and establish themselves as early contenders for qualification from the group.
His performance reinforced why he remains such an important figure in England’s attacking plans. Over the past several years, Saka has developed into one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers and has become a key player for both Arsenal and the national team.
However, his ongoing injury concerns have now created uncertainty over England’s lineup ahead of the Ghana match.
For the Black Stars, the development could provide a significant boost. Ghana enters the contest full of confidence after securing a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto, where Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time winner earned all three points for Carlos Queiroz’s side.
The victory placed Ghana alongside England at the top of Group L and set the stage for a potentially decisive encounter between the two nations.
The Black Stars are expected to receive a further lift with the return of midfielder Thomas Partey, who missed the opening match against Panama. Partey’s availability would strengthen Ghana’s midfield considerably and provide additional experience against one of the tournament favourites.
Historically, meetings between Ghana and England have attracted significant attention due to the quality and history associated with both footballing nations. England enter the match boasting one of the strongest squads at the tournament, featuring a mix of experienced internationals and emerging stars.
Yet Ghana will take encouragement from its own World Cup pedigree. The Black Stars have a proud history of competing against elite opposition on football’s biggest stage and remain Africa’s only nation to have reached the World Cup quarter-finals on two occasions.
