Discipline
Xhaka and Embolo cleared to return for Switzerland after fake Covid certificate case
The Swiss Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that both players will be available for November's Nations League fixtures, ending a four-game absence.
FootVal Newsroom
Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo have been cleared to represent Switzerland again after the Swiss Football Association (SFV) concluded its internal process following revelations that both players obtained fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates during the pandemic in 2021 and 2022.
Xhaka, who has been restored as captain, and striker Embolo missed four matches for the national team after the affair became public. The SFV confirmed on Tuesday that the pair will return to the squad for the upcoming Nations League games in November.
Xhaka, 34, plays for Sunderland in the Premier League, where he has made eight appearances this season with an average rating of 7.37 according to FootVal's data. Embolo, 29, is based in MLS with Atlanta United, where he has scored three goals in nine outings in 2026/27.
The reinstatement closes one of the more unusual disciplinary episodes in recent Swiss football history, with the federation opting not to impose a longer-term ban on two of its most prominent players.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- BBC Sport — Captain Xhaka allowed to play for Switzerland again
- kicker — Nach Impfdebatte: Xhaka und Embolo spielen wieder für die Schweiz
- ESPN — Xhaka, Embolo to return for Swiss after fake COVID-19 docs case
- Sportschau — Nach "Corona-Sperre" - Schweiz holt Xhaka und Embolo zurück
- Mundo Deportivo — Xhaka y Embolo vuelven tras falsificar certificados Covid
- Transfermarkt — Schweiz holt Xhaka und Embolo nach Impfbetrug zurück ins Team
- TuttoMercatoWeb — Svizzera, Xhaka e Embolo saranno reintegrati dopo il caso dei certificati Covid falsi
- Daily Mail — Granit Xhaka cleared to play for Switzerland again after fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate scandal
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report