Swiss forward Breel Embolo was expected to join the national squad in the United States for the upcoming World Cup matches, but his departure was held up by an ongoing review of his ESTA visa application.
A Delayed Departure
The Swiss Football Association confirmed that it is in constant contact with U.S. authorities, expressing confidence that the paperwork will be cleared and that Embolo will be able to travel shortly.
Embolo's delay is not an isolated incident; it follows a series of brushes with regulatory bodies in both Germany and Switzerland that date back to the COVID‑19 pandemic.
A Pattern of Pandemic‑Era Infractions
In 2021, while playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach, he was fined after attending a private gathering that violated local lockdown restrictions, a breach that drew a disciplinary response from the club.
More recently, Swiss prosecutors opened a criminal investigation in Basel alleging that Embolo was linked to the fabrication of COVID‑19 test certificates in 2021, a charge that adds legal weight to earlier warnings about his conduct.
Despite these setbacks, the 28‑year‑old remains a key attacking option for Switzerland, a team that many analysts view as a strong contender to finish top of Group A, which includes co‑hosts Canada, Bosnia‑Herzegovina, and Qatar.
The Swiss federation hopes the visa issue will be resolved before the team’s first match, allowing Embolo to contribute on the field as they aim to advance from a group that also features a formidable Canadian side.