'What Will Be Will Be' – Premier League Striker On Speculated Move to African Nation Ahead of FIFA 2026 World Cup

England-born forward Eddie Nketiah has found himself at the centre of a heated international debate as speculation grows over a potential allegiance switch to an African nation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The Crystal Palace striker, long admired for his youth-level exploits with England, remains eligible to change national teams due to FIFA’s updated rules.

Diaspora players such as Nketiah and Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have been widely discussed across the African nation’s footballing circles, especially since qualification for the 2026 tournament was secured.

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Nketiah, who was born in Lewisham to parents of African heritage, rose through Chelsea’s academy before joining Arsenal and later moving to Crystal Palace in 2024 for £30m. Over seven seasons at the Emirates, he netted 38 goals in 168 appearances, earning a reputation as a reliable and hardworking forward.

He has only one senior England appearance—a friendly against Australia in October 2023—which means he meets FIFA’s eligibility requirements for a switch. Yet Nketiah insists he is focused solely on club football.

"At the moment, I'm just enjoying my football with Crystal Palace - that's been my main focus," he told BBC Sport Africa. 

"I'm Ghanaian and there's no denying that. Obviously I'm proud of my roots and where I've come from. I'm sure the future will take care of itself and what will be will be."

Despite Nketiah acknowledging his heritage, he made clear there has been no recent communication from the football association of the African nation in question. 

"I haven't had any calls or anything recently, so my focus has just been on playing well each week and helping my team win trophies," he said. 

"If I'm doing well and doing the right things then naturally the international future will resolve itself when it's time to make that decision."

Under the revised guidelines introduced by FIFA in 2020, players can switch national teams if they have played no more than three competitive senior games prior to turning 21 and have not featured in major tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations or World Cup.

National team head coach Otto Addo recently said that any potential new call-ups would be judged individually.

“I think Ghana should always have a certain pride as a country. We need to go on each player and check the commitment, which is very crucial, because we have a very good unity and I definitely don't want to destroy this,” he explained.

The topic has drawn strong opinions from supporters and members of parliament, according to local journalist Muftawu Abdulai.

“The consensus in Ghana is that players that did not accept invitations to be part of the Black Stars [squad] to qualify for the World Cup, those players should not be called up,” he told BBC Sport Africa.

 “If you speak to fans in Ghana, they describe them (players now hoping to switch allegiance) as opportunistic.”

Despite the noise, Nketiah continues to build meaningful ties to his heritage through his charitable foundation. The striker has supported disadvantaged and disabled children in the region and organised a football tournament there last year.

 "In the summer last year, I went back to Ghana and did a lot work there, and also I'm trying to do some work here in the community, in the youth clubs, in the local area I come from," he concluded.