Switzerland's World Cup squad departed for the United States on Tuesday without striker Breel Embolo, after his Esta travel authorisation was placed under further review by American authorities.

The Esta — an automated system that assesses whether international travellers can enter the US without a traditional visa — had been approved for Embolo until the morning of departure. At 10:30am, the Swiss federation was informed the application required additional scrutiny.

The legal background

The review stems from a Swiss court ruling connected to an incident involving Embolo in Basel in 2018. The 29-year-old was convicted in 2023 of making multiple threats and received a suspended fine. Following an unsuccessful appeal, Swiss media reported in April that Embolo had chosen not to escalate the case to the Federal Court, making the verdict final.

Despite the conviction, Embolo was permitted to enter the US as recently as June 2025, when he featured in friendly matches against Mexico and the United States.

Federation response

The Swiss federation confirmed the situation in an official statement, expressing confidence that Embolo would still link up with the squad.