Egypt National Team Includes Barcelona Talent in Preliminary World Cup Squad

Ibrahim Hassan, the manager of the Egypt national team, revealed the presence of Hamza Abdel Karim, the Al Ahly player on loan to Barcelona, within the preliminary squad of the Pharaohs in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

The decision to include the young player came after the impressive performances he recently delivered with Barcelona's under-19 team during his loan period, prompting the Catalan club to move towards activating the clause to purchase his contract permanently.

Ibrahim Hassan confirmed that Hamza Abdel Karim will be among the names proposed in the initial squad for the national team, noting that the final World Cup squad will be sent at the beginning of June.

The Egypt national team is preparing to compete in the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with high hopes of achieving a strong appearance in the global tournament.

The Pharaohs are expected to open their campaign in the tournament with a strong match against Belgium on June 15.

Head coach Hossam Hassan has decided to announce the preliminary squad for the Egypt national team after the conclusion of the Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids matches in the Egyptian league on May 20.

Before the World Cup kicks off, the Egypt national team will play two friendly matches against Russia and Brazil as part of the preparation program for the tournament, which officially starts on June 11.

The schedule for Egypt's group stage matches is as follows:

June 15: Egypt × Belgium

June 22: Egypt × New Zealand

June 27: Egypt × Iran