Swiss Soccer Team Loses Two Key Players Amid COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate Scandal

The Swiss national soccer team is facing a setback after two key players were removed from the squad due to a controversy surrounding COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

Breel Embolo, a striker for Atlanta United, was excluded from the team by the Swiss Football Association on November 25. The association cited an issue related to Embolo's privacy as the reason for his removal.

However, reports suggest that Embolo purchased two forged COVID-19 vaccination certificates in 2021 and was fined a total of 60,000 Swiss francs (approximately 98 million won) in November 2025 for teaching forgery of documents.

This decision allows the team to focus on the upcoming UEFA Nations League games. The Swiss national team will play North Macedonia on November 26 for the first time in the 2026-2027 UEFA Nations League.