Egypt has once again confirmed its dominance in junior squash after winning both the men’s and women’s team titles at the 2026 World Squash Junior Team Championships in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.
The Egyptian women defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the final, while the men followed with another 2-0 victory over the United States, allowing Egypt to retain both world team crowns on the same day. The team competitions ran from July 26 to 31 following the individual championships earlier in the tournament.
Egypt’s Women Claim an 11th Consecutive Team Title
Egypt’s women entered the final as top seeds and continued their remarkable run of success with a convincing victory over fourth-seeded Malaysia.
Malika Elkaraksy opened the final against Whitney Wilson and gave Egypt the ideal start. After taking the first two games 11-7 and 11-5, Elkaraksy faced pressure in the third when Wilson reached game ball at 10-9. The Egyptian recovered, winning the next three points to close the match 12-10 and put Egypt 1-0 ahead.
Habiba Rizk then stepped onto court against Doyce Ye San Lee with the title on the line. Rizk dominated from the opening exchanges, winning 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 to seal the championship for Egypt.
The victory gave Egypt its 13th women’s World Junior Team Championship title overall and extended the country’s incredible streak to 11 consecutive titles.
Egypt’s Men Beat the USA for a Third Straight Crown
The men’s final followed a similar pattern, with Egypt defeating second-seeded USA 2-0.
Three-time World Junior individual champion Mohamad Zakaria opened against Yaseen Shalaby and produced another controlled performance, winning 11-5, 11-6, 11-4.
Zakaria’s victory also completed an extraordinary personal record. According to World Squash, he ended his junior career having won his final 33 World Junior matches without dropping a single game, a streak stretching back to 2023.
Seifeldin Refaay then faced Brendan Tagliarini in the second match and quickly took command. Refaay won 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 to secure the tie and confirm another world title for Egypt.
The result gave the Egyptian men their ninth World Junior Team Championship title and their third consecutive crown.
A Tournament Full of Egyptian Success
The team double completed another hugely successful World Junior Championships for Egypt.
Earlier in the individual event, Mohamad Zakaria made history by winning the boys’ title for a third time, becoming the first male player to achieve the feat. He defeated fellow Egyptian Adam Hawal in the final, giving Egypt gold and silver in the boys’ competition.
In the girls’ individual event, Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem reached the final before losing to India’s Anahat Singh, who became the first Indian player to win a World Junior squash title.
Despite missing out on the girls’ individual gold, Egypt responded in the team competition by taking both championship trophies.
Egypt Continues to Set the Standard in Junior Squash
Egypt’s latest double reflects the depth of a development system that continues to produce elite squash players generation after generation.
The country has dominated both professional and junior squash for much of the past two decades, with former World Junior champions regularly progressing to the top of the senior world rankings.
For the women, an 11th consecutive team championship illustrates a level of sustained dominance rarely seen in international sport. For the men, three straight titles further establish Egypt as the benchmark for the next generation of players.
With two more world team trophies secured in Canada, Egypt leaves the 2026 World Junior Championships with another reminder of its extraordinary position in global squash.
