Mohamed Salah to captain Egypt as squad announced for FIFA World Cup 2026

Key points

• Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed has been left out of Egypt’s preliminary ⁠squad for next ⁠month’s FIFA World Cup, but uncapped teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for the Barcelona under-19 team, has been included.
• Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah ⁠will captain the squad and combine with Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush to lead the attack at the World Cup, which runs from June 11 ⁠to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, head coach Hossam Hassan announced on Wednesday.
• One player will be dropped later to reduce the squad to the FIFA-mandated 26 players after Egypt’s last home friendly against Russia in Cairo on May 28, before heading to the US.
• Mostafa was a surprise omission, even though he has struggled for form with only four goals in 24 matches this season for Nantes, as the French club were relegated from Ligue 1. Abdelkarim, by contrast, has been in great form...