Mason Greenwood is reportedly on the brink of switching his international allegiance to Jamaica after formally requesting a change of sporting nationality.
At just 23 years old, the former Manchester United player could make his debut for the Caribbean nation in upcoming international competitions. According to the Mirror, Greenwood has officially applied to be registered as a Jamaican player.
He has earned just one cap for England, having been dropped from the national team after being arrested on suspicion of rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and actual bodily harm in January 2022. The charges against him were dropped in February 2023.
This season, Greenwood has been in superb form for Olmpique Marseille, scoring 15 goals in 24 Ligue 1 appearances. Even if England manager Gareth Southgate were to consider him for selection, Greenwood would be ineligible, as he has now formally requested to switch allegiances.
His sole appearance for the England senior team came in September 2020, but he was sent home after breaking Covid-19 regulations while with the squad.
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England Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham confirmed the switch, stating:
So my understanding, and I’d have to double-check my understanding, is he’s asked to switch. That’s happened formally, so he wouldn’t be able to because you can only switch once. I know people asked Gareth about him, and Gareth was up front in that he hadn’t been in his thinking, because he hadn’t been performing at that level, so I’m not aware of any communication we had with him.
Why Greenwood can make the switch
FIFA regulations permit players to switch national teams if they have played no more than three official matches for their initial country before the age of 21 and at least three years have passed since their last appearance.
Greenwood meets these criteria, as his sole appearance for England was a friendly match, meaning he is eligible to represent Jamaica, the country of his parents’ heritage. However, this change is permanent, meaning he would not be able to return to the England fold in the future.
Should FIFA approve his request, Greenwood could make his debut for Jamaica in their upcoming fixtures. The Reggae Boyz are keen to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with Greenwood’s inclusion providing a significant boost.
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Jamaica has already added several England-born players with Jamaican roots, including Michail Antonio and Leon Bailey, in their quest to compete at a higher level internationally.
