Hamza Abdul Karim becomes youngest Arab player at World Cup 2026

Hamza Abdul Karim, aged 18 years, 5 months and 14 days, entered the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a substitute for Mohamed Salah in Egypt’s opening match against Belgium. His appearance in the 77th minute made him the youngest Egyptian and Arab player ever to take part in a World Cup, surpassing Mustafa Kamel Mansour’s 1934 record of 19 years and 9 months.

The match ended in a 1‑1 draw, with Egypt’s Imam Assour scoring first and Belgium equalising after a own‑goal. The Egyptian Football Federation highlighted the achievement as a sign of a promising future for the nation’s football talent.