Reports of Nigeria nationality switch for former Gunner played down | OneFootball

Reports that Arthur Okonkwo has switched nationality from England to Nigeria have been played down, amid new claims that the goalkeeper didn’t need to request an official change anyway.

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Reports from Nigeria in late 2025 suggested FIFA had officially approved a nationality switch for former Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, swapping England for Nigeria.

Yet All Nigeria Soccer claim Okonkwo didn’t need FIFA clearance to represent Nigeria, and he’s eligible to feature for the team immediately, without the need to apply for a change.

All Nigeria Soccer point out that whilst Okonkwo did represent England at various youth levels, none of those appearances came in competitive fixtures. As such, he’s not tied to England.

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Regulations involving nationality switches only need to be invoked in cases where a player has represented a country in official competitions, such as Euros qualifiers or the youth World Cups.

This is good news for the former Gunner, who retains the flexibility to choose his international allegiance as and when he’s called upon. It seems like that might be sooner rather than later.

All Nigeria Soccer add that Okonkwo is understood to be in contention for a first senior international call-up for the March internationals, with Nigeria to face Iran and Jordan in a couple of friendlies.

Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images

So far this season, Okonkwo has focused on his club football with Wrexham, playing 36 times across the Championship, FA Cup, and League Cup. He’s kept 10 clean sheets for the team, helping them into a play-off spot and an FA Cup last-16 match against Chelsea.

It’s no wonder Nigeria are taking notice, and it may not be long until Okonkwo reaches another milestone in his career.