Saka absent from England training as Ghana World Cup looms

Bukayo Saka stood apart from England’s group session as Thomas Tuchel’s staff kept tight control over one of the squad’s most valuable attacking pieces. The Football Association said Saka was following his own programme while managing an Achilles injury, a sign that England are treating his workload as a World Cup risk-management issue rather than a simple fitness question.

England face Ghana on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, at 9pm BST at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in a Group L fixture that carries immediate consequences for both sides. England and Ghana both reached three points after the opening round, so the meeting arrives with first place in the group still up for grabs and little margin for hesitation.

Saka’s absence from full training came after he also missed group work earlier in the week, reinforcing the sense that England are trying to preserve him for the stages of the tournament that matter most. He came off the bench in England’s 4-2 opening win over Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, and helped decide the match by setting up Marcus Rashford’s late goal. That impact underlines why England are being careful, and why Tuchel has no need to rush him back into a heavy minutes load.

Tuchel has already suggested Saka is unlikely to start against Ghana and may be held back toward England’s final group game against Panama. He has also made clear that Saka is still not 100% fit and requires careful management because the Achilles problem has interrupted his build-up. In practical terms, that gives England room to protect a player who can change a game without asking him to carry the full burden from the opening whistle.

The approach also reflects England’s depth. With Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke among the options around him, Tuchel can afford to treat Saka as a controlled asset rather than a player to force into action. Ghana, meanwhile, are preparing for a potentially decisive second group match of their own after opening level on points with England, which means both sides arrive in Foxborough with qualification pressure already building.