Championship Keeper Successfully Switches Nationality

Wrexham Star Sees Nationality Swap Request APPROVED

Making your national team is hard enough as it is when you play top-flight football – the competition is fierce, and you often find yourself in the heat of battle with three or four other candidates in the bid for international supremacy.

So now consider what you must do to make yourself noticed if you ply your trade outside of your nation's top division – for Wrexham’s Arthur Okonkwo, this is the exact dilemma he has been faced with since joining the Welsh side in 2023.

However, unlike so many before him, Okonkwo was able to break through the wall of other goalkeepers playing in higher divisions than him, and it was officially announced today that his nationality switch from English to Nigerian has been approved by FIFA, handing him a greatly increased chance of playing international football.

🚨🚨FIFA has officially approved Arthur Okonkwo’s international nationality switch from England to Nigeria, making the 24 year old Wrexham goalkeeper eligible to represent the Super Eagles at senior level. 🇳🇬⚽️ 🦅🔥 pic.twitter.com/nxKWQcooDy

— Super Eagles Supporters Club (@official_esclub) February 25, 2026

Why has Okonkwo Changed Nationality?

A nationality switch in football can be done for a host of different reasons – sometimes, players opt to do it without outside interference, believing that there is an increased chance of playing international football if they represent their second nation.

Other switches are influenced by international coaches – if a coach desperately wants a player in his team that is unlikely to represent his first nation, then he will attempt to persuade this player to instead represent their other nation of origin, improving the squad as a whole in the process.

The latter is almost certainly how Okonkwo’s nationality switch came about – since the retirement of national legend Vincent Enyeama, the Nigerian goalkeeping scene has been in something of a trough, with two of the three goalkeepers in their last international squad plying their trade in Africa, while the other, Francis Uzoho, plies his trade in Cyprus – not exactly at the top of the game.

Playing for Wrexham in the English Championship, Okonkwo represents a significant upgrade in the shot-stopper department, and despite being born in London, he is never going to get ahead of the likes of Dean Henderson, Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford and even James Trafford in the England keeping pecking order.

With much more manageable competition in the Nigerian national squad, Okonwko is faced with a legitimate chance of securing the number one shirt for the Super Eagles, which, at the age of 24, could be his for a great many years to come.

The acceptance of his nationality change is also a reflection of how far he has come. Signing for Wrexham when they were in League Two, Okonkwo has been a vital fixture in two consecutive promotions, and now protects the backline in the Championship.

Brilliant performance from Arthur Okonkwo against Nottingham Forest. The 24-year-old made two penalty saves and seven saves in total to help Championship side, Wrexham, advance to the next round of the FA Cup.👏✨️🤴 pic.twitter.com/SnDidyCgLn

— Leagues Reporter (@LeaguesReporter) January 9, 2026

With the Hollywood-owned side now sitting sixth in the English second tier and in the mix for a fourth successive promotion as a club, Okonkwo’s star continues to grow – still the number one goalkeeper for the club despite the huge jump in divisions since he arrived, he clearly has a high ceiling and excellent adaptability.

These are traits that are highly valued on the international stage, and should Wrexham achieve another historic promotion campaign, it can only be a matter of time before the now 24-year-old Nigerian makes his first appearance on the international stage.