Barcelona player Hamza Abdelkarim is on Egypt's preliminary squad list for the 2026 World Cup
In a move reflecting the vision of the new coaching staff of the Egyptian national football team, the team's director, Ibrahim Hassan, confirmed that the name of young striker Hamza Abdel Karim, a player for Barcelona's youth team, has been included in the preliminary squad being prepared for the 2026 World Cup finals. This statement opens the door for a promising talent to represent his country in the world's biggest football tournament.
In an exclusive statement to Okaz newspaper, Ibrahim Hassan said, "Hamza Abdel Karim is on the preliminary Egyptian national team roster for the 2026 World Cup." Although the list is preliminary and subject to change, this selection sends a clear message from the coaching staff, led by Hossam Hassan, that all Egyptian talents around the world, especially those playing for major European clubs, are being closely monitored and will be given the opportunity to prove themselves.
Who is Hamza Abdul Karim?
Eighteen-year-old Hamza Abdel Karim is considered one of the most promising talents to emerge from Egyptian football academies in recent years. He moved from Al Ahly SC to Barcelona's youth team during the last winter transfer window on a six-month loan deal with an option for the Catalan club to make the move permanent. Since joining, Abdel Karim has impressed with the youth team, attracting attention and demonstrating his ability to adapt to the playing style of one of the world's most prestigious football academies, La Masia.
A new vision for the Pharaohs and World Cup ambitions
This approach is part of a comprehensive strategy adopted by the new coaching staff of the Egyptian national team, which aims to build a strong team that combines experienced players, most notably global star Mohamed Salah, with young talents capable of injecting fresh energy into the squad. The Egyptian national team, record holders for Africa Cup of Nations titles (7), seeks to solidify its presence on the world stage after sporadic appearances at the World Cup in 1934, 1990, and 2018. Regular qualification and strong competition in the World Cup are considered strategic goals for Egyptian football.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
Domestically, the call-up of a young player from Barcelona's academy represents a tremendous morale boost for the player himself and other young talents, confirming that early European professionalism is an effective path to representing the national team. This decision also enhances the popularity of the current coaching staff, who are demonstrating an openness to including players from outside the domestic league. Internationally, the presence of an Egyptian player on Barcelona's roster and attracting the attention of his national team highlights the development of Egypt's talent identification system and its ability to produce players for Europe's biggest clubs.
It is worth noting that the 2026 World Cup will be jointly organized by the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico, and will witness for the first time in its history the participation of 48 teams, which increases the chances of African teams to qualify and makes the competition to secure a place in the finals more fierce.
