It's Official! Ryan Williams Now Eligible for Indian Team After FIFA Clearance

Bengaluru FC attacker Ryan Williams has officially been cleared to represent the Indian men's football team after FIFA's Players' Status Chamber (PSC) approved his change of association. The All India Football

Federation (AIFF) confirmed the development on Thursday, marking a major step in the forward's transition from Australian to Indian football.

AIFF announced that FIFA's PSC issued its final verdict on Wednesday after reviewing India's request and all supporting documentation. In its statement, the federation said, "Following the submission, FIFA's Players' Status Chamber reviewed the request in alignment with the standards set out in the RGAS.

The Chamber delivered its decision on November 19, confirming that all eligibility criteria had been satisfied and approving the player's change of association to India. "

The statement further noted, "With the ruling now in effect, Ryan Williams is officially eligible for selection to the Indian national team. "

Williams completed his change of nationality earlier this month, relinquishing his Australian citizenship to receive an Indian passport. Soon after, he featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bhutan on November 13 as the national team assessed his integration and match readiness.

The winger was also included in India's 23-member squad for their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Bangladesh on Wednesday. However, he could not be named in the matchday lineup due to a delay in receiving key paperwork. Williams required a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Football Australia, but the document arrived only on November 18-missing the registration deadline of 11:59 pm on November 17 by a matter of hours.

As a result, Williams watched from the sidelines while India slumped to a 0-1 defeat, a result that left the Blue Tigers at the bottom of their qualifying group. India, already eliminated from contention before the match, have picked up only two points from five fixtures.

Despite the setback in Dhaka, Williams' eligibility is expected to boost India's squad depth in upcoming international windows. The focus will now shift to when the Bengaluru FC forward is handed his first official cap in Indian colours.