International Football - FIFA lift age limit on nation switching

Eurosport - Wed, 03 Jun 20:38:00 2009

Many players could get a new chance to play international football after FIFA's congress voted to remove the age limit on changing national teams.

FOOTBALL - Flags for fair play, FIFA and United Nations - 0

Under established rules players with dual nationality, who had already played for a country's national team at youth level, were only allowed to switch loyalties until the age of 21.

A motion from the Algerian Football Association, removing the reference to the age limit, was passed by 58 percent of the FIFA Congress, opening the way for many players to get a second chance in international football.

The rule change does not affect any player who was played for the full national team as they are barred from switching nations.

The Algerian change was backed heavily by African countries - many of whom will now hope to 'regain' players who have played at youth level for European countries.

Algeria could now have access to several players who have featured in France's youth teams such as Lazio midfielder Mourad Meghni.

Meghni, who was born in France to Algerian parents, represented France at Under-17 and Under-21 level but has never played for the full national side.

Reuters

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  1. Cool, i suppose that's fair

    From classicsxi, on Sat 13 Jun 2:27PM

  2. NOT THE WORST DECISIONT, BUT YET AGAIN IT'S NOT THE­ BEST ALSO , MAYBE FIFA SHOULD ALSO COME UP WITH A RULE­ THAT HELP THE SMALLER COUNTRIES THAT REALLY NEED HELP­ WITH THEIR FOOTBALL.

    From jackmyster_01, on Sat 6 Jun 2:57PM

  3. this is excellent fifa have done something good for the­ game this will help international football and small­ countries, well done to them, 1 your point on full­ internations is not good idea though

    From Jimmyrice man u are champs again, on Wed 3 Jun 11:57PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Yeah let's change ALL the rules, so that players­ who simply aren't good enough to play at the­ highest level, get the chance to turn their back on­ their country of birth, win a few caps, and get better­ wages (which is what some of them are really after)...­ Oh FIFA you're all such flippin geniuses. ALL­ footballing bodies should be made up of­ Ex-professionals only - if you've not been involved­ as a player or a coach, you shouldn't be given a­ place within FIFA. Full stop. Same for our FA....­ it's so PAINFULLY simple...

    From dazza_jim, on Wed 3 Jun 11:19PM

  5. Well imagine Pele for Namibia. Not much good now though­ as he needs little blue pills to keep something else on­ form, never mind a whole team !!!

    From Paul, on Wed 3 Jun 10:11PM

  6. This is the smartest thing I have heard from FIFA in a­ long time, although I think they should allow people to­ swap nations even if they have played full­ internationals. Then the struggling African nations­ could "borrow" former stars to help build­ their teams. Just imagine Pele and Zola playing for­ Namibia to help them win a game! That would be a great­ idea.

    From dunedin_99, on Wed 3 Jun 9:05PM
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