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The Millwall midfielder had been denied the chance to represent his country of birth after turning out for Samoa in an under-20 tournament at the age of 14 in 1994.
But after a long struggle, which was also backed by the Irish FA, Cahill will finally get his just to shine on the international stage when the Socceroos play South Africa at Loftus Road in London on 30 March.
"It's a feeling of sheer joy and happiness that such a long-standing battle is over," said Cahill.
"I want to make sure no other players suffer because I've missed a lot of football and this has held me back."
As a direct result of Cahill's protests, FIFA last year ruled players could become eligible for another association provided they had never played an A international for their first country before their 21st birthday, and had dual citizenship.