FIFA: players will be able to change national team under certain conditions

A footballer with dual nationality who, before the age of 21, has played one, two or three official matches with an national first team (but not in the final stages of a World Cup or continental tournament, such as the Euro, AFCON or Copa America), may play for the other country of which he or she is a national, at the earliest three years after his or her last appearance: this new rule was adopted at the 70^th FIFA Congress, organised by videoconference on 18/09/2020.

This amendment is now included in article 9 paragraph 2c of the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes, page 79 of the International Federation's Legal Handbook published on 23/09/2020 (document available to download).

"In line with the new global situation, the FIFA Statutes were amended to include new provisions relating to the exceptions to the general prohibition on changing associations and the access to national-team football for stateless players," said FIFA on 18/09/2020.

Simply having a young player with dual nationality play in an official national "A" team match is no longer enough to prevent…