PARAMARIBO, Suriname (CMC):

Draft legislation has been introduced into Suriname's parliament, designed to help the country qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The dual nationality legislation aims to change the law to facilitate players born in Suriname who play professional football overseas, but cannot represent their country.

The initiative is part of a project dubbed 'Suriname en route to 2018' and already 25 players have been announced, who, if the dual nationality legislation gets passed, would be eligible to play for the national team.

"If the dual nationality law does get approved, we are playing in the World Championships in Russia in 2018," declared John Krishnadath, chairman of Suriname's Football Association (SVB).

"We will own one of the four spots of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)."

Football talent from Suriname has featured prominently in international football with the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit, an elite quintet that helped the Netherlands claim 12 European Cups among the names.

Suriname, however, have never qualified for a World Cup with its best effort being a berth in the final group stage of qualifying for the 1978 tournament.

There are more than 100 Surinamese players in the Dutch professional leagues, but none of their overseas professionals are eligible to represent their country.

Suriname's footballers cannot play for the national team once they assume a different nationality.