Crew sign Palestine striker, CWC star Abou Ali

The Columbus Crew signed Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali for an undisclosed transfer fee on Saturday.

Multiple reports said the MLS club paid $7.5 million to land the Egyptian Premier League star.

Abou Ali, 26, joins the Crew as a designated player and is signed through 2027 with a 2028 club option.

“Wessam is a special player whose journey speaks to his resilience, character and tireless work ethic, which are qualities we value at our Club,” Crew general manager Issa Tall said. “He is a proven goal-scorer who knows what it takes to help his team win. His clinical finishing, energy and charisma will strengthen our squad, and we are confident that he will thrive within our system.”

Abou Ali led Al Ahly to consecutive Egyptian Premier League titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and was the league’s leading goal scorer (18) in 2023-24. The team also won the Egyptian Super Cup in 2024 and the CAF Champions League in 2023-24.

He tallied 38 goals and 10 assists in 60 matches across all competitions with Al Ahly, including a hat trick against FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup on June 23 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Abou Alli was born in Denmark and represented that the country at youth level before being granted a one-time switch to play for Palestine last year. He scored four goals in 10 appearances during qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.