Mason Greenwood has officially requested to switch his international allegiance from England to Jamaica, according to Football Association (FA) Chief Executive Mark Bullingham in a report published in The Athletic.
The 23-year-old forward, who currently plays for Marseille, has not represented England since making his senior debut against Iceland in 2020. Despite previous reports suggesting he was in the process of completing the necessary paperwork to represent Jamaica, Bullingham confirmed on Thursday that Greenwood has now made a formal request.
With new England manager Thomas Tuchel set to name his squad next week for World Cup qualifiers against Albani and Latvia, Greenwood's request makes him ineligible for selection. “My understanding is that he has asked to switch. That's happened formally so he wouldn't be able to be (selected) because you can only switch once,” Bullingham told selected media.
This decision means Greenwood is no longer eligible for selection by England and, pending FIFA’s approval, could soon become available for the Reggae Boyz.
Greenwood’s international career has been at a standstill since his solitary England appearance in 2020. His request to switch to Jamaica follows a tumultuous period in his career that saw him leave Manchester United in 2023.
The striker was arrested in January 2022 on charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour. However, the charges were dropped in February 2023 due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material that made a conviction unlikely.
Despite the legal case being closed, Manchester United conducted an internal investigation and ultimately decided that Greenwood’s future at the club was untenable, leading to his departure. He eventually signed for Marseille in the summer of 2024 for a transfer fee of €27.6 million and has since rediscovered his form, scoring 15 goals in 24 appearances this season.
Jamaica has been actively recruiting high-profile players with Jamaican heritage to bolster its squad. Greenwood, if cleared by FIFA, would add significant firepower to the Reggae Boyz attack. His potential inclusion could be a game-changer for Jamaica as they prepare for upcoming international competitions, including the CONCACAF Nations League and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
While Greenwood’s switch is not yet finalized, his formal request marks a crucial step in the process. With FIFA’s approval, the former England international could soon be donning the black, green, and gold of Jamaica.