FIFA has granted approval for Cole Campbell, an 18-year-old forward from Borussia Dortmund’s youth team, to change his affiliation from Iceland to the United States. Campbell, who celebrated his 18th birthday last month, is the son of Rakel Karvelsson, a former forward for the Iceland women’s team with roots in Los Angeles, where she played college soccer at North Carolina. Campbell’s father is American. Having joined Borussia Dortmund for the 2022-23 season, he has been actively participating in the under-19 team during the current season. The U.S. Soccer Federation officially confirmed the affiliation switch on Thursday.
Borussia Dortmund has a track record of developing notable U.S. talents, including Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna. Pulisic, after making a name for himself at Dortmund, secured a record transfer fee for a U.S. men’s player when he moved to Chelsea in 2018. Subsequently, he joined Serie A’s AC Milan in the most recent summer transfer window.
While Reyna has shown moments of brilliance in Germany, he is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, where he is striving for more playing time.
With Cole Campbell now part of Borussia Dortmund’s youth setup, he could emerge as a notable name to watch for the U.S. squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics, considering the age requirements the team must fulfill.