In association football, the FIFA eligibility rules are the eligibility criteria established by FIFA, the sport's governing body, to facilitate the selection of representative teams for international competitions. Specifically, FIFA maintains and implements rules determining a player's eligibility to represent a particular national team in officially sanctioned international competitions and friendly matches.
Togo's registration of naturalised players born and raised in Brazil reportedly influenced FIFA's decision to amend eligibility rules in 2004.
Diego Costa played two friendlies for Brazil in 2013, before switching allegiances to Spain
Syria were expelled from the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification process by FIFA in 2011, for fielding George Mourad in a senior qualification match against Tajikistan
Daniel Kearns, who originally represented Northern Ireland at youth international level, chose to represent the Republic of Ireland, despite the fact he had not lived in the Republic of Ireland, and had no parents or grandparents from the Republic of Ireland, causing the Irish Football Association (IFA) to contest his decision.
Jermaine Junior Jones is a former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder. Jones is currently the head coach of Central Valley Fuego FC in USL League One.
Jones with the United States in 2013
Jones training with Ivan Rakitić in 2011.
Jones playing for the United States in 2013
