Breel Embolo has been left out of Switzerland’s squad for the upcoming Nations League matches after admitting to using forged Covid-19 test certificates during the pandemic. The Swiss Football Association confirmed on Friday that Embolo would not be called up, following reports revealing that he was fined in November 2025 for submitting fake Covid test documents.
The 26-year-old striker, who plays for Atlanta United, told the St. Galler Tagblatt newspaper that he “understood that (his) behaviour was not correct” and “accepted (his) responsibility.” Details of the sanction only surfaced recently through the Schweiz Heute outlet, exposing the incident which had previously gone unreported.
Embolo’s omission comes shortly after Switzerland’s captain Granit Xhaka was dropped from the squad for a similar offence. Xhaka admitted on Monday that he used a fake certificate to avoid a mandatory vaccination, saying on social media, “I felt deep mistrust regarding the vaccine and was gripped by anxiety and doubt.” The Swiss FA said that Xhaka’s case would be reviewed after the current international window.
Switzerland face North Macedonia away on Saturday to begin their Nations League campaign, followed by a trip to Scotland on September 29. Embolo would have been suspended for the opening game due to a red card he received against Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals. The Swiss team will then host Slovenia and North Macedonia in Lucerne on October 3 and 6.
The Swiss FA did not specify the reason behind Embolo’s exclusion when announcing the squad, but Swiss media quickly connected the decision to the Covid certificate controversy. Embolo’s case adds to the growing scrutiny around the national team’s approach to Covid-19 protocols during the pandemic.
Embolo previously played for Monaco and Rennes before moving to the United States, and had been expected to feature prominently for Switzerland in the Nations League. His absence removes one of the team’s experienced attacking options at a time when the squad is already dealing with disciplinary issues.
The timing of the revelations, coming just days after Xhaka’s admission, has put the Swiss FA under pressure to clarify its stance on Covid-related breaches among players. The team’s preparations for the upcoming matches continue amid the fallout from these incidents.
According to Yahoo Sports.