Chukwuemeka changes allegiance to Austria ahead of global tournament, having previously been tied to England

A change of heart has led Carney Chukwuemeka, a midfielder for Borussia Dortmund, to switch his international allegiance from England to Austria, now under the guidance of Ralf Rangnick, just in time for the World Cup.

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Austria's path in the World Cup will see them face off against Argentina, the reigning champions, as well as Algeria and Jordan in the group stages, marking their first appearance in the finals since 1998.

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Chukwuemeka's background is rooted in Austria, where he was born, before relocating to England at a young age and progressing through the junior ranks of the English national team without earning a senior cap.

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The official update on Chukwuemeka's status was made by FIFA on Monday, paving the way for his potential debut for Austria in the upcoming friendlies against Ghana and South Korea in March, at the age of 22.

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His football career began in the youth divisions of Aston Villa, from where he moved to Chelsea in 2022, and later joined Dortmund on loan in early 2025, with his transfer becoming permanent over the summer.

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This season has seen Chukwuemeka score two goals in 20 league appearances for Dortmund, demonstrating his growing prowess as a midfielder.

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In a similar move, Paul Wanner, a 20-year-old former Bayern Munich midfielder now playing for PSV Eindhoven, also made the switch from Germany to Austria on the same day as Chukwuemeka.