The Australia born defender Andrew Durante will remain with the All Whites football squad even though he won't be in line to make his debut in the World Cup qualifier against New Caledonia in Dunedin tomorrow.
Durante has taken up New Zealand citizenship, but New Zealand Football are continuing to seek confirmation from world governing body FIFA that he's clear to play.
New Zealand Football's high performance director Fred de Jong says he's had further contact with FIFA but the situation remains unresolved.
De Jong says Durante needs to satisfy three criteria under FIFA rules around acquiring a new nationality and they are citizenship, not having played for another country and having lived in New Zealand for five years.
There's uncertainty over the third condition, which Durante had met under New Zealand law requiring residency of 1350 days over five years and 240 in each of those years.
A decision will be made after tomorrow's game about what involvement the Wellington Phoenix skipper might have New Zealand's final fixture of the Oceania qualifying phase, away to the Solomon Islands on Tuesday.
