The former England and Scottish youth internationals Rory Fallon and Michael McGlinchey have been included in the 18-strong All Whites squad to play a friendly against Jordan in Amman early next month.
Plymouth Argyle striker Rory Fallon and Central Coast midfielder Michael McGlinchey were born in Gisborne and Wellington respectively, and missed the previous FIFA window to switch allegiance before they turned 21.
But the recent removal of the age limit by FIFA gives All Whites coach Ricki Herbert the chance to look at the pair, with a view to selecting them for a World Cup playoff against Bahrain or Saudi Arabia.
With incumbents Celtic's Chris Killen and Gold Coast United's Shane Smeltz both in goal scoring form for their clubs, Fallon, the son of 1982 All Whites assistant coach Kevin faces strong competition for a starting spot.
McGlinchey began his career at Celtic, where he made his league debut as a teenager in 2005, and Herbert says from the early signs of his A league form he's going well.
Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen has been reinstalled as captain after missing the Confederations Cup through injury.
The trip to Jordan offers the All Whites an early taste of the conditions and challenges they'll face on the away leg of the World Cup playoff.
While the All Whites are in Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia square off twice, with the winner hosting New Zealand.
A second friendly against Iraq was to be played but that's now fallen through after New Zealand Football refused to a request from Iraqi officials to move the game from Amman to Arbil in Iraq.
