Bamford appeared to have altered his position on representing Ireland internationally by October 2020, stating in an interview that it "would be a dream [come true]" to play for England and make the England squad for UEFA Euro 2020 (postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). He also said that he would aim to make the squad but was not named as one of Gareth Southgate's squad of 26 players, nor his provisional 33-player-squad, announced on 25 May 2021.