Nine Man United players risk missing Premier League opener due to World Cup commitments

Michael Carrick faces a potential selection crisis at the start of his first full season as Manchester United manager, with up to nine first-team players at risk of missing the Premier League opener on August 22 due to their involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The expanded tournament, which is being held across North America, concludes with the final in New Jersey on July 19 — just over a month before the Premier League gets underway. While the league’s start date has been pushed back to allow players extra recovery time, those who progress deep into the competition are unlikely to be fully match-sharp by the time United’s first fixture arrives.

The problem is compounded by the tournament’s timing. The World Cup began shortly after the domestic season ended, meaning United’s international players moved straight from club duty into pre-tournament training camps with their national sides, with almost no meaningful rest in between.

Nine United players are currently competing in the tournament: Matheus Cunha with Brazil, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot with Portugal, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford with England, Amad with Ivory Coast, Senne Lammens with Belgium, Noussair Mazraoui with Morocco, and Lisandro Martinez with Argentina.

A potential England vs Portugal final would create the most acute headache for Carrick and his coaching staff, with four United players — Fernandes, Dalot, Mainoo, and Rashford — potentially involved in the showpiece on July 19.

Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis after impressing in a caretaker role following Ruben Amorim’s departure in January. He guided United to a third-place Premier League finish last season, securing Champions League football for the first time since 2023. Managing his World Cup returnees carefully at the start of the new campaign could be one of his first significant tests in the role.