​England meet Norway in the 2026 World Cup quarter-final on Saturday night, with five Arsenal players in contention to take part in the clash. England have Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze in the mix, while Norway are led by captain Martin Odegaard at club and international level. Yet this week there have been questions surrounding three of those five players, as Saka continues to deal with an Achilles strain and both Rice and Odegaard have reportedly been affected by illness, according to various media reports.
The positive update is that Saka and Rice both took part in training on the eve of the quarter-final, and Thomas Tuchel confirmed that they would be available for selection in the match. “That’s the best news,” Tuchel said. “We had everyone available in training, which we like. We have a full choice apart from our suspended player, Jarell Quansah. So that’s the good news. We took a big step in our last match, but it’s only a step. The next step is to win the quarter-final.”
In a parallel note, Norway’s doctor Ola Sand played down concerns about a sickness sweeping through the squad, insisting it isn’t serious. “All players are healthy now,” Sand stated. “Very little fuss, considering we have been together for almost six weeks. So it’s great that the English media have picked up on this illness in the camp. We are in control.”
Judging by recent updates, all five Arsenal players involved in the quarter-final build-up—covering both England’s English and Norway’s Norwegian contingents—appear set to be available for selection on Saturday night. The latest medical and training briefs suggest a final, competitive lineup could be announced with little time to spare, as both sides prepare for a decisive knockout clash.