FIFA's eligibility rules explained

Here, Press Association Sport looks at how those laws work, according to FIFA's guidelines.

Q. Who can a player play for when he has never played international football?

A. A player can play for any country for whom they hold a permanent nationality.

Q. What if that player wants to change nationality but has already played for a country?

A. A player who has more than one nationality, acquires a new one or is able to play for several sides, can, on one occasion up to their 21st birthday, request to change countries, provided that:

a) The player has not played in a competitive match for his current association.

b) At the time of that appearance they already had the nationality of the country they now wished to play for.

Q. What if a player wants to acquire a new nationality?

A. If a player wants to get a completely new nationality, then one of the following must be met:

a) Be born on the territory of the association.

b) Have a biological mother, biological father or grandparent born on that territory.

c) Have lived continuously on that territory for at least five years after reaching the age of 18.

Q. What happens to a player who is eligible to represent more than one Association an account of his nationality?

 A. The player can play may play in an international match for one of these Associations only if, in addition to having the relevant nationality, he fulfils at least one of the following conditions:

a) Be born on the territory of the association.

b) Have a biological mother, biological father or grandparent born on that territory.

c) Have lived continuously on that territory for at least two years.