Why is Bukayo Saka not Playing in England vs Croatia World Cup 2026 Opener?

England are up against Croatia in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener on Wednesday (June 17) at the Dallas Stadium in Texas.

The Three Lions have announced their team and Bukayo Saka is not starting for them, as Thomas Tuchel has gone with Noni Madueke at the right hand side. Bukayo Saka has been placed at the bench as the Arsenal player may come on at the latter end of the match.

Why is Bukayo Saka not Starting for England?

The Arsenal winger has been managing an Achilles tendon issue since March 2026. It sidelined him for parts of Arsenal's run-in, limiting him to just five starts and one full 90-minute appearance late in the season.

He played through discomfort to help Arsenal secure the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final. England manager Thomas Tuchel has repeatedly

emphasized careful load management: "We still have to take care of Bukayo" and noted it is "very unlikely" he starts and finishes every match.

Saka himself has been transparent, admitting he is "not quite 100% yet" but "ready to go" and willing to "gamble" on his fitness, crediting medical teams from Arsenal and England for helping him recover enough to contribute. He came off the bench in the warm-up win over Costa Rica.

Tuchel opted for caution in the high-stakes opener (a rematch of the 2018 semi-final). Noni Madueke starts on the right wing, with Anthony Gordon on the left, Jude Bellingham in the No.10 role, and Harry Kane leading the line. Saka is among the substitutes and expected to feature as an impact player. This rotation protects Saka from re-aggravation early in the tournament while leveraging England's attacking depth.

England Starting XI vs Croatia

Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Nico O'Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice; Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.

Substitutes: Dean Henderson (GK), James Trafford (GK), Marc Guehi, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Eberechi Eze, Ivan Toney, Djed Spence, Jarell Quansah