The International Federation of Association Football has officially confirmed goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo’s change of international allegiance from England to Nigeria, making the 24-year-old shot-stopper eligible to play for the Super Eagles.
The approval was recorded on FIFA’s Change of Association platform on April 6, 2026. Okonkwo’s new national association is now listed as the Nigeria Football Federation on the FIFA website, replacing his previous affiliation with The Football Association Ltd of England.
Born on September 9, 2001, in Camden, London, to Nigerian (Igbo) parents, Okonkwo stands at 1.98–1.99m and joined Arsenal’s academy at age eight. He represented England at youth level from 2015 to 2019 across the U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-18 teams but never played for the senior Three Lions, allowing him to switch under FIFA eligibility rules.
Currently, Okonkwo is Wrexham’s first-choice goalkeeper in the EFL Championship after a permanent transfer from Arsenal. His strong performances this season have drawn attention as a potential high-quality addition to Nigeria’s goalkeeping roster, which includes Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye.
The switch followed discussions with Eric Chelle during the Unity Cup in London last year, though administrative procedures ruled him out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
