Switzerland’s national football team has excluded striker Breel Embolo from its squad for upcoming UEFA Nations League matches following sanctions related to forged Covid-19 test certificates. Embolo becomes the second player removed from the team in recent days due to incidents involving falsified pandemic documentation.

The Swiss Football Association announced Embolo’s absence on Friday without providing specific reasons. However, Swiss media reports linked the decision to a fine imposed on Embolo in November 2025 after investigations revealed he had submitted fraudulent Covid-19 test results. The striker, currently with Atlanta United, acknowledged the misconduct in an interview with the St Galler Tagblatt, stating that he recognized his actions were wrong and accepted full responsibility.

Earlier this week, team captain Granit Xhaka was also left out of the squad after admitting to using a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate. Xhaka, who plays for Sunderland, publicly expressed his anxiety and mistrust of the vaccine, which influenced his decision to evade mandatory vaccination. The Swiss Football Association indicated that Xhaka’s situation will be reassessed following the conclusion of the current international fixtures.

Switzerland is scheduled to begin their Nations League campaign with an away match against North Macedonia, followed by a game versus Scotland on Tuesday. Embolo, who had been set to miss the opening fixture due to a suspension stemming from a red card received during World Cup quarter-final play against Argentina, will also be absent for the subsequent home matches against Slovenia and North Macedonia in Lucerne on October 3 and 6.

These disciplinary measures come as the Swiss football authorities seek to uphold integrity within the national team while addressing earlier breaches of Covid-19 regulations among key players.