Covid scandal hits Swiss national team: Embolo excluded from squad

In the silence of the locker room in Skopje, the eyes of the Swiss players rest on two empty spots: those of Breel Embolo and Granit Xhaka, excluded from the national team for a case of fake Covid certificates. The decision, communicated a few hours ago by the federation, shook the squad before the match against North Macedonia.

New chapter of the Covid case

The case of fake Covid certificates in the Swiss national team gains a new chapter. Breel Embolo, after Granit Xhaka, has also become involved in the legal saga linked to the use of forged documents during the pandemic.

The Atlanta United striker had initially been called up by head coach Murat Yakin for Switzerland's next four matches, but the Federation announced a short time ago his exclusion from the squad without officially specifying the reason.

According to the Swiss press, the decision is linked to the conviction Embolo received in November 2025, when he was fined for falsely claiming to have undergone a Covid test using non‑authentic certificates.

Embolo admitted the error, stating: "I understood that my behaviour was not correct, I took responsibility".

The case also concerns the national team captain, Granit Xhaka, already excluded in recent days for a similar incident involving the use of fake vaccination certificates. The Sunderland midfielder explained that he experienced “moments of anxiety and doubt” during the pandemic and was “skeptical about the vaccine.”

Switzerland, fresh from the historic run to the World Cup quarter‑finals, will face North Macedonia on Saturday in Skopje without two of its key players. Embolo and Xhaka will also miss the upcoming matches against Scotland, Slovenia and the return fixture against North Macedonia.