Eight Gunners in World Cup semi‑finals stretch Arsenal’s pre‑season plans

In the bustling Emirates Stadium, the roar of fans fades as the Gunners watch the World Cup semi‑finals on giant screens, with over half of Arsenal’s World Cup internationals now in the semi‑final stage. Arsenal sent 15 players to the 2026 World Cup and, with just one week left, eight Gunners remain in contention for the trophy. The quarter‑final outcomes proved a worst‑case scenario for Arsenal’s pre‑season rest plans. William Saliba helped France move past Morocco, keeping his World Cup hopes alive. Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images captures the Gunners’ hopeful faces in the stadium. Goalkeeper David Raya, midfielder Mikel Merino and defender Martin Zubimendi all saw Leandro Trossard exit from the tournament. Their performances secured places for eight Arsenal players in the semi‑finals. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images shows the tense moments as the matches concluded.

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Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka advanced to the semis, while Martin Odegaard’s campaign ended. Wins for Morocco, Belgium and Norway would have left only two Arsenal players, including Trossard, who is reportedly heading to Besiktas. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images illustrates the jubilant Gunners celebrating their progress.

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Another upside is that even if Spain and England fall in the semis, the seven Arsenal players in those squads will still feature in the third‑place play‑off next Saturday, gaining just one extra day of rest. Only Argentina stands between an Arsenal player lifting the trophy, while Martin Odegaard avoided injury setbacks and can rest before pre‑season. Mikel Arteta now faces a shortage for Arsenal’s first three friendlies and the Community Shield on August 16th, a dilemma highlighted in a photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images.