Borussia Dortmund midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka is no longer eligible to represent Nigeria after switching allegiance to Austria ahead of the March international window.

Chukwuemeka, who joined Dortmund on a permanent deal in the summer of 2025, had been among several players of Nigerian descent monitored by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as part of efforts to strengthen the Super Eagles squad. 

However, the 22-year-old has now opted to represent Austria at the senior international level.

Born in Vienna, Chukwuemeka was eligible to play for three national teams, Austria, Nigeria through his parents, and England, where he previously featured at youth level. 

Despite his involvement with England's youth teams, the former Aston Villa and Chelsea midfielder had not been capped at the senior level by any of the countries.

According to FIFA's Change of Association platform, approval for the midfielder to switch his international allegiance to Austria was granted on March 9, officially clearing him to represent the European nation in competitive matches.

With the approval secured, Chukwuemeka is now in line to feature in Austria's upcoming international fixtures against Ghana on March 27 and South Korea on March 31.

The switch also boosts his chances of appearing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite an underwhelming campaign at the Signal Iduna Park.

Chukwuemeka has endured a challenging campaign with Borussia Dortmund.

The midfielder has scored three goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances across all competitions this season.

He has started only eight matches for the Bundesliga side, with the remaining 22 appearances coming from the bench, as he continues to compete for regular playing time in the Dortmund midfield.

Adeyemi Adewale