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 Pharaohs' preliminary squad in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

The decision to include the young player came after his impressive performances recently with Barcelona's under-19 team during his loan period, which prompted 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 list for the World Cup 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 great ambitions to achieve a strong appearance in the global tournament.

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

Head coach Hossam Hassan has also 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 Egyptian team will play two friendly matches against Russia and Brazil as part of the preparation program for the World Cup, which officially begins 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