Austria has received FIFA permission to select Borussia Dortmund's Carney Chukwuemeka and PSV Eindhoven's Paul Wanner for its national team ahead of the World Cup. Both players, born in Austria, previously represented England and Germany at youth levels, respectively. The approvals come as Austria prepares for its first World Cup appearance since 1998.
FIFA approved the eligibility switches for Carney Chukwuemeka and Paul Wanner late on Monday, allowing Austria to call up the two midfielders for upcoming matches. Chukwuemeka, a 22-year-old winger for Borussia Dortmund, previously played for Aston Villa and Chelsea in England. He represented England at youth international levels and was also eligible for Nigeria through his parents. Wanner, 20, developed in Bayern Munich's academy, spent last season on loan at Heidenheim, and joined PSV Eindhoven last August, where he wears the No. 10 jersey. He had been a youth international for Germany.
Under coach Ralf Rangnick, Austria faces a challenging group in the 2026 World Cup alongside defending champions Argentina, Algeria, and Jordan. The team will make its first men's World Cup appearance since 1998. Austria's schedule includes an opening match against Jordan on June 16 at the San Francisco 49ers' stadium, followed by a game against Argentina at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium and a clash with Algeria at the Kansas City Chiefs' home.
Chukwuemeka and Wanner will debut their eligibility in warmup friendlies this month, when Austria hosts World Cup qualifiers Ghana and South Korea. These additions bolster Austria's squad as it aims to compete against Lionel Messi and Argentina in the tournament.
