Can Footballers Change Nationality? A Comprehensive Guide to FIFA Rules

Navigating the complexities of international football eligibility can be confusing. CAUHOI2025.UK.COM breaks down FIFA’s rules on changing nationality, exploring the conditions, high-profile examples, and implications for players seeking to represent a different nation. Learn about nationality switches, dual nationality eligibility, and more.

Why Can Footballers Change International Teams?
What Are the New Eligibility Rules?
- Nationality is Key
Which Footballers Have Switched National Teams?
How Many Times Can Footballers Switch National Teams?
Which Nationalities Cover More Than One FIFA National Team?
FAQ: Common Questions About Changing Football Nationality
Need More Answers?

1. Why Can Footballers Change International Teams?

Footballers can change international teams due to FIFA’s eligibility rules, specifically Article 9 of the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes. These rules acknowledge the complex identities in today’s globalized world. According to FIFA, many players hold multiple nationalities, leading to nuanced attachments to different countries.

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has emphasized the need for regulations that accommodate players born in one country and raised in another, or those with parents from different nations. At the FIFA Football Law Annual Review in March 2021, Infantino stated that the eligibility rules were amended to give players the opportunity to choose or change their country under strict conditions, addressing situations of particular hardship.

While some believe that playing for one country should permanently bind a player, FIFA aims to avoid “excessive hardship” by allowing changes under specific legal frameworks. The term “excessive hardship” refers to situations where players are denied an international career due to rigid rules.

FIFA Eligibility Rules

2. What Are the New Eligibility Rules?

The updated FIFA eligibility rules build upon existing regulations with clarifications and additions. FIFA introduced three new exceptions allowing players to switch national teams.

First, a player can switch teams even after playing competitively at the senior level, provided:

They held the nationality of their new association when they first played for their original national team.
They played in no more than three competitive senior games before turning 21.
They have not participated in the final stage of a major tournament like the World Cup or European Championship.
At least three years have passed since their last senior appearance for their previous national team.

For instance, a player eligible for both the U.S. and Mexico could play in three World Cup qualifying matches for the U.S. and later represent Mexico in the World Cup, as long as they meet all the conditions. However, playing in a World Cup and then switching is not allowed.

Second, a player can switch to a new national team even if they didn’t hold that nationality when they first played for their old national team, as long as their last game for the old team was before they turned 21.

An exception exists for players whose last match for their old national team was before September 18, 2020, when the new rules were introduced. This is based on the principle of legal certainty. Aymeric Laporte, for example, played for France Under-21s in 2016 at the age of 21, which is why he was permitted to switch to Spain.

Third, a competitive cap will not bind a player to a national team if they involuntarily become stateless, meaning they lose their nationality against their will.

Nationality is Key

Nationality remains the foundation of national team eligibility. Article 5.1 states:

“Any person holding a permanent nationality that is not dependent on residence in a certain country is eligible to play for the representative teams of the association of that country.”

In some cases, a nationality might allow a player to play for multiple FIFA member associations. Article 6 addresses this scenario.

For example, 11 national teams, including the four ‘Home Nations’ (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), require players to possess British nationality. Additionally, players must satisfy one of the following:

Born on the territory of the association.
Biological mother or father was born on the territory of the association.
Grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the association.
Lived on the territory of the association for at least five years.

If a player acquires a new nationality to play for a national team, Article 7 applies, and the above stipulations must also be met.

FIFA offers a detailed video explanation of these rules on their official YouTube channel. You can also read the complete rules in FIFA’s Statutes (2020 edition), available on their website.

3. Which Footballers Have Switched National Teams?

Many footballers have utilized these rules to switch national teams. Declan Rice famously switched from the Republic of Ireland to England in 2019, despite playing three friendly matches for Ireland.

Other notable examples include:

Diego Costa (Brazil to Spain)
Kevin-Prince Boateng (Germany to Ghana)
Wilfried Zaha (England to Ivory Coast)

Historically, before stricter FIFA rules, Alfredo Di Stefano represented Argentina, Colombia, and Spain, while Ferenc Puskas played for Hungary and Spain.

Here is a table showing examples of players who have switched National Teams:

Player	Original Team	Switched To
Kevin-Prince Boateng	Germany	Ghana
Alex Bruce	Republic of Ireland	Northern Ireland
Diego Costa	Brazil	Spain
Nacer Chadli	Morocco	Belgium
Munir El-Haddadi	Spain	Morocco
Mario Fernandes	Brazil	Russia
Ricardo Ferreira	Portugal	Canada
Jonathan Gonzalez	USA	Mexico
Jack Grealish	Republic of Ireland	England
Jermaine Jones	Germany	USA
Geoffrey Kondogbia	France	Central African Republic
Thiago Motta	Brazil	Italy
Yunus Musah	England	USA
Jamal Musiala	England	Germany
Roman Neustadter	Germany	Russia
Paul-Georges Ntep	France	Cameroon
Declan Rice	Republic of Ireland	England
Wilfried Zaha	England	Ivory Coast

Yunus Musah USMNT

4. How Many Times Can Footballers Switch National Teams?

FIFA’s eligibility rules allow a footballer to change their national team allegiance only once. However, the new rules permit a reversal of that single switch under certain conditions.

Confusion arises due to players seemingly switching more than once. Ryan Johansson, for example, played for Luxembourg, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland. However, many of these appearances were in unofficial competitions, such as friendly games or non-FIFA age group matches. His only official, competitive appearances were for Luxembourg, meaning he could still potentially use his one request to change.

FIFA aims to combat ‘nationality shopping,’ discouraging players from switching back and forth or playing for multiple national teams, as indicated in their commentary on the rules update.

5. Which Nationalities Cover More Than One FIFA National Team?

Certain nationalities allow players to represent more than one FIFA national team due to political and historical connections. These nationalities include:

Nationality	FIFA Member Teams
American	USMNT, Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands
British	England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat
Chinese	China PR, Hong Kong, Macau
Danish	Denmark, Faroe Islands
Dutch	Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao
French	France, Tahiti, New Caledonia
New Zealand	New Zealand, Cook Islands

For instance, American nationality is required to play for the United States national team, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Similarly, British nationality is needed to play for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Turks and Caicos Islands, or Montserrat.

6. FAQ: Common Questions About Changing Football Nationality

Q1: Can a player switch national teams after playing in a World Cup?
A: No, a player cannot switch national teams after playing in the final stage of an official tournament such as the World Cup.

Q2: What is the age limit for switching national teams?
A: Generally, a player must have played their last game for their old national team before turning 21 to be eligible to switch. There are exceptions for players who played their last match before September 18, 2020.

Q3: How many times can a player switch national teams?
A: A player can only change their national team allegiance once, but the rules allow for a reversal of that one switch under certain conditions.

Q4: What is “nationality shopping” in the context of FIFA rules?
A: “Nationality shopping” refers to switching back and forth or playing for a number of different national teams, which FIFA discourages.

Q5: Can a player switch if they lose their nationality against their will?
A: Yes, a competitive cap will not bind a player to a national team if they involuntarily become stateless.

Q6: What if a player has multiple nationalities?
A: If a player holds multiple nationalities, they may be eligible to play for more than one FIFA member association, subject to meeting specific criteria.

Q7: What does Article 5.1 of FIFA regulations state?
A: Article 5.1 states that any person holding a permanent nationality that is not dependent on residence in a certain country is eligible to play for the representative teams of the association of that country.

Q8: Does playing in friendly matches count as a competitive appearance?
A: No, playing in friendly matches does not count as a competitive appearance under FIFA’s eligibility rules.

Q9: Can a player switch to a new national team if they did not hold that nationality at the time of their first appearance for their old national team?
A: Yes, provided they last played for the old national team before the age of 21 and meet other criteria.

Q10: Where can I find the complete FIFA eligibility rules?
A: The complete rules are available in FIFA’s Statutes (2020 edition) on their website.

7. Need More Answers?

Do you have more questions about FIFA eligibility rules or need clarification on specific scenarios? Visit CAUHOI2025.UK.COM for reliable answers and expert insights. Our comprehensive platform is designed to provide clear, accurate information to help you navigate the complexities of international football.

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