International football: What are Fifa’s rules on switching nationalities?

Following his competitive debut for Aston Villa in the Uefa Super Cup, there has been intrigue as to whether teenage striker Brian Madjo, who has previously represented Luxembourg, could be eligible to play for England.

Inter Milan striker Ange-Yoan Bonny is among the latest players to officially switch nations, transferring from France to Ivory Coast before the 2026 World Cup earlier this year.

In order to do so, players must be eligible to play for the nation they are switching to, covered by five different sets of circumstances.

A new rule introduced in 2021 by Fifa allowed players who had played up to three senior international caps prior to the age of 21 to switch nations.

London-born Madjo, 17, has represented England at youth level and while he has won three caps for Luxembourg’s senior side, all were in friendlies.

It means the teenager is still eligible to represent England’s senior side under Fifa’s rules.

Previously, the rule stated that players could not switch nations once they had earned a senior cap in a competitive match.

England midfielder Declan Rice benefited from this rule when switching from the Republic of Ireland.

Rice won three senior caps for the Republic, all in international friendlies, before opting to instead play for England in 2019.

Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa also swapped nations to Spain in 2014, having played for Brazil in two friendly matches in 2013.

Ajax teenager Jorthy Mokio has represented Belgium from Under-15 level through to Under-21 and won his first senior cap as a late substitute in a Nations League tie against Ukraine in March 2025.

However, this year the 18-year-old declared his intentions to play for the Democratic Republic of Congo, but because his cap was in a competitive fixture, Fifa regulations means he will not be able to change until 2028.