A sealing element for a fuel injector insertable into a receiving bore of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine for direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine includes a sealing element surrounding a nozzle body of the fuel injector peripherally. The sealing element includes a base body having an axial recess through which the nozzle body extends. The base body also has an annular recess which communicates with the recess and into which the sealing element is introduced. At a first contact face, the base body is in at least indirect contact with an end face of the fuel injector, and at a second contact face opposite the first contact face, the base body is at least in indirect contact with a step of the receiving bore.