ZURICH (AP) — Austria got permission from FIFA to select former England and Germany youth internationals ahead of playing at the World Cup against Argentina and Lionel Messi.
Borussia Dortmund winger Carney Chukwuemeka and PSV Eindhoven midfielder Paul Wanner both were born in Austria and eligible under FIFA rules to change their eligibility.
Chukwuemeka’s switch from England and Wanner’s transfer of eligibility from Germany were approved by FIFA late Monday.
Austria, coached by Ralf Rangnick, is in a World Cup group with defending champion Argentina, Algeria and Jordan.
The 22-year-old Chukwuemeka played for Aston Villa and Chelsea before moving to Dortmund. He was an England youth international who also was eligible through his parents to play for Nigeria.
The 20-year-old Wanner came through the Bayern Munich academy and played on loan last season with Heidenheim. He moved last August to PSV, which gave him the playmaker’s No. 10 jersey.
Austria will play at a men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998. The team opens against Jordan on June 16 at the San Francisco 49ers’ stadium, then plays Argentina at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium and Algeria at the Kansas City Chiefs’ home.
Chukwuemeka and Wanner will first be eligible for warmup games this month when Austria hosts Ghana and South Korea, which both qualified for the World Cup.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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