Egypt's U20 national team is facing an early challenge ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Ghana in February, following Spanish media reports suggesting that Barcelona are unwilling to release Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim for the tournament.

The news comes just days after Egypt secured qualification for the continental competition, leaving the coaching staff facing the possibility of losing one of their most promising overseas players as preparations begin for the tournament.

Barcelona Wants Hamza to Stay

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona are not planning to allow Hamza Abdelkarim to join Egypt's U20 squad for the Africa Cup of Nations because the competition will take place during the European club season.

The Spanish club want the young Egyptian striker to remain with the team as he continues to develop and works toward earning more opportunities with the first team under German coach Hansi Flick.

The report also suggests that Abdelkarim himself would prefer to stay at Barcelona rather than leave for international duty, as he hopes to maintain his progress, continue training with the squad, and improve his chances of establishing himself at the club.

This situation creates a major challenge for Egypt's U20 team, which had hoped to benefit from the abilities of the 18-year-old forward following his impressive recent performances.

Abdelkarim has already attracted attention at senior international level after scoring for Egypt against South Sudan, having entered the match as a substitute for Omar Marmoush.

His performance increased expectations about the role he could play for Egypt's youth team in upcoming international competitions.

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However, despite the Spanish reports, Barcelona have not yet officially confirmed a final decision regarding his availability for the African tournament.

World Cup Hope Remains

Egypt U20 head coach Ahmed Raouf has addressed the situation, admitting that Abdelkarim's chances of playing in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations appear very limited because of his commitments with Barcelona.

Speaking on the Here Cairo television program on ON Sport, Raouf explained that the coaching staff still hope to have the young striker available for the FIFA U20 World Cup.

The coach believes the World Cup could provide an important opportunity for Egypt to benefit from Abdelkarim's talent on the international stage.

These developments come shortly after Egypt's U20 team won the North African championship, securing qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 victory over Algeria in their final match.

Egypt finished at the top of the standings with nine points, two ahead of Morocco, earning a place at the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.

The Egyptian coaching staff now hope to prepare the strongest possible squad for the continental competition, knowing that having talented players available could make an important difference against Africa's leading youth teams.

For now, Abdelkarim's availability remains one of the key issues facing Egypt's U20 coaching staff, as the national team hopes to benefit from his talent while Barcelona focus on keeping the young forward's development on track.