FIFA will pay a compensation to Spanish champions Barcelona following an injury suffered by Frenkie De Jong at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will force him to miss the start of the 2026-27 season.
The Netherlands midfielder suffered torn ligaments at the tournament that was held in the United States, Mexico and Canada between June and July and was an ever present for his country throughout their time at the tournament.
De Jong played majority of the tournament with a bandage on his knee, further aggravating the injury problem during the tournament.
Netherlands were eventually eliminated by African champions Morocco at the Round of 32 stage on penalties, after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Cody Gakpo had given the Dutch the lead, before Issa Diop equalized for the African side in stoppage time to force extra time and eventually penalties.
De Jong, though, is confident of recovering in time for Barcelona ahead of next season, as they aim to successfully defend their league title and also mount a more serious challenge in the UEFA Champions League.
“The injury was more serious than initially thought. Thankfully, at this stage there’s no need for surgery, I’m now fully focused on my recovery”, De Jong said.
FIFA’s rule states that clubs are entitled to compensation if their player suffers an injury on international duty and is forced to miss more than 28 days of action due to that injury.
With De Jong set to miss the beginning of the 2026-27 season, this qualifies Barcelona for a compensation over the injury.
FIFA will now pay the Blaugrana depending on how many games he miss when the season commences.
Barcelona begin their 2026-27 campaign with a clash against Elche, as they aim to defend their title once again.
They have already added Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi from Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund respectively, and are still actively pursuing reinforcements ahead of next season.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
