Switzerland star Breel Embolo was blocked from traveling to the United States for the World Cup because of issues with his visa.
The Swiss soccer federation revealed that ‘unfortunately, Breel Embolo is currently unable to travel to the United States with the team’ because his ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) was no longer approved.
Embolo and his teammates were due to fly from Zurich around lunchtime local time on Tuesday. They are headed to Los Angeles before going to a World Cup training camp in San Diego.
‘However, at 10:30 am, we were informed that his ESTA application had been placed under further review,’ the Swiss federation confirmed.
Swiss soccer chiefs confirmed they are ‘in contact with the relevant authorities and expect that Breel will either join the team later today (Tuesday) or travel tomorrow and join the squad then.’
They did not reveal why Embolo’s travel documents were under review and it is unclear why the US has concerns about the 29-year-old.
Switzerland star Breel Embolo was blocked from traveling to the USA for the World Cup
Swiss chiefs said his Electronic System for Travel Authorization was no longer approved
The United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside neighbors Canada and Mexico
But Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup Task Force, previously told the Daily Mail: ‘Obviously [with] all these countries, we do security vets on players, coaches, support staff around the team.’
He explained: ‘And they need to clear those security vets as well – each visa decision is a national security decision. We want to make sure, first and foremost, that it’s a safe event. That will make it successful.’
The striker has had several run-ins with the authorities in both Germany and Switzerland particularly around the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, while playing for Borussia Monchengladbach, he was disciplined by the German club for attending a party with friends during a lockdown – before reportedly hiding in a bathtub when the police turned up.
Two years later, Embolo was fined for making threats during a 5am street altercation back in 2018. Then, in 2024, he was linked in a criminal case in Switzerland to buying forged test certificates in 2021.
It is the third World Cup where Embolo is set to be Switzerland’s first-choice striker. He has scored 24 goals in 86 internationals.
Switzerland has been drawn in a group alongside co-hosts Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar.
The Daily Mail has contacted FIFA and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
