Arsenal’s pursuit of a historic Premier League and Champions League double has been dealt a blow with the news that defender Ben White will miss the remainder of the 2026 campaign. The club confirmed on Tuesday, May 12, that the 28-year-old sustained a medial knee ligament (MCL) injury during Sunday’s 1-0 win over West Ham United. The injury ends White’s season at the worst possible time, ruling him out of Arsenal’s final title-deciding fixtures and the highly anticipated Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 amid the arrival of FIFA World Cup 2026.
The injury occurred in just the 28th minute at the London Stadium following a collision with Hammers winger Crysencio Summerville. White was later seen leaving the stadium in a knee brace, sparking immediate fears among the Gunners’ faithful.
While Arsenal medical staff are now focused on his long-term rehabilitation for the 2026-27 pre-season, the immediate fallout is devastating, Mikel Arteta must now navigate the club’s biggest match in two decades without one of his most consistent defensive pillars.
🚨⚠️ Ben White will be OUT of Champions League final and missing upcoming games for Arsenal until end of the season.
Knee injury will keep White out and more tests will confirm if he can be in World Cup squad or not.
Get well soon! 👊🏼🏴 pic.twitter.com/1zWojnS2LF
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 12, 2026
“Our medical team are now managing Ben’s recovery and rehabilitation programme, with everyone fully focused on supporting the aim of Ben being ready for the start of our pre-season preparations,” the club said in a statement.
Arsenal lead Manchester City, who have a game in hand, by five points.
White’s injury is a major blow to Mikel Arteta’s side, with fellow right back Jurrien Timber also sidelined with an injury.
Will Ben White Miss The FIFA World Cup 2026?
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in North America on June 11, White’s participation is now under serious threat. England manager Thomas Tuchel is reportedly unlikely to risk a player who is facing a recovery timeline of at least four to eight weeks.
This is a particularly cruel twist of fate for White, who had only recently ended a four-year international exile to rejoin the Three Lions in March, putting in impressive performances against Uruguay and Japan
He was making his first appearance for England since leaving the World Cup camp in 2022 and going into self-imposed international exile.
(With inputs from Reuters)
