Egypt Unveils Squad Roster for 2026 World Cup Preparations with Notable Selection Changes

Egypt's football federation has released its preliminary squad list ahead of the 2026 World Cup, revealing several unexpected personnel decisions that have drawn attention from observers of the national team.

The most striking changes involve the exclusion of two prominent players: Mustafa Mohamed, who plays for French club Nantes, and Ahmed Nabil Kouka of Al-Ahly. In their place, the federation has opted to include Hamza Abdel Karim, a young talent from Barcelona's academy system.

According to the Egyptian Football Association's media office, the squad comprises the following players:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mustafa Schubert, Mahdi Suleiman

Defenders: Mohamed Alaa, Mohamed Hani, Tariq Alaa, Hamdi Fathi, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdel Majeed, Mohamed Abdel Moneim, Ahmed Fattouh, Karim Hafez

Midfielders: Marwan Attia, Muhannad Lashin, Nabil Imad Dunga, Mahmoud Saber, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Imam Ashour

Forwards: Mustafa Abdel Raouf "Zico," Mahmoud Trezeguet, Ibrahim Adel, Haitham Hassan, Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Aktay Abdallah, Hamza Abdel Karim

Ibrahim Hassan, who oversees the national team's operations, announced that training activities will commence Thursday at the national teams facility. He noted that the definitive roster will be finalized following a friendly encounter against Russia, in line with FIFA's requirement that World Cup squads contain exactly 26 players.