CONFIRMED: Barca Activated R57m Clause For African Wonderkid Ahead Of WC

Al Ahly have announced that Barcelona have activated the purchase clause of Egyptian starlet Hamza Abdelkarim, who will be looking to show what all of the hype is about at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"Spain's Barcelona requests to activate the purchase option for Hamza Abdelkarim," The Egyptian giants wrote in a social media post.

Check Out: 2026 World Cup: Mbokazi Among Eight Young Stars To Watch

Abdelkarim has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in African football over the past year.

The 18-year-old striker came through Al Ahly's famed youth academy before securing a move to Spain in February when he joined Barcelona Atletic on loan until June 2026.

His rapid rise has continued ever since. The teenager impressed within Barcelona's youth structures, including scoring a hat-trick for the club's U19 side, while his performances also caught the attention of the senior coaching staff.

The youngster's development was further rewarded when he earned a place in Egypt's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the youngest Egyptian player selected for the global showpiece.

Barcelona Activate Permanent Transfer Clause

Al Ahly have now confirmed that Barcelona have exercised their option to make the move permanent.

The Catalan giants are set to pay an initial fee of €3 million (around R57 million), according to KingFut, to secure the striker's services, although the total package could rise to €5 million (R95 million) through performance-related add-ons.

Barcelona originally announced Abdelkarim's arrival in February, making him the first Egyptian player to join one of the club's football teams.

The forward is expected to continue his development within the club's setup, while first-team coach Hansi Flick is reportedly set to assess him during pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign.

The transfer represents another major milestone in Abdelkarim's rapidly developing career.

Having already attracted attention from Barcelona's senior setup, the Egyptian now has an opportunity to further enhance his reputation at the FIFA World Cup, where many will be eager to see whether he can translate his youth-level promise onto the biggest stage in football.

Former Egypt international Ahmed Hossam Mido has also come out strongly in support of the youngster, urging fans to back one of the country's brightest prospects.

"Honestly, I don't understand why some people are trying to undermine the confidence of a promising young striker like Hamza Abdel Karim. This young man needs all of us to support and help him," Mido wrote on X per Cairo24.

"We all need to be happy for him and convey this joy to him instead of saying why there is so much fuss being made about him without any need.

"What fuss? He is a young Egyptian player, a graduate of the national teams, and Barcelona is convinced of him. They paid money for him, and he will join the first team's training camp during the preparation period.

"Let's not say we don't understand. Do you understand more than Barcelona?"

Check Out: Harambee Stars Coach Backs ‘Excellent’ Bafana Ahead Of WC

With Barcelona now committing to the highly-rated teenager on a permanent basis, Abdelkarim will have the chance to prove exactly why one of the biggest clubs in world football believe he could become a star of the future.