Caulker cleared to play for Sierra Leone at Cup of Nations finals

Former England international Steven Caulker has been cleared to play for Sierra Leone in next month's Africa Cup of Nations finals, the country's football association said on Friday.

Caulker won a single cap for England, scoring on debut against Sweden in 2012, and also represented England at junior level but has had his request to switch international allegiance approved by FIFA.

The 29-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool defender, who now plays in Turkey, is expected to slot straight into the Sierra Leone side, who are competing at the finals for the first time since 1996.

He qualifies to play for them through his father, who hails from the west African country.

Sierra Leone have been drawn in a difficult Group E along with defending African champions Algeria, Equatorial Guinea and the Ivory Coast.

Their first match at the tournament in Cameroon is against Algeria in Douala on Jan. 11.