EPA/Noushad Thekkayil
Breel Embolo
ESTA authorization “subject to additional verification”. At issue is the fact that he was found guilty by the courts of directing a series of threats in Basel.
The Swiss football team left today for the United States, where they will compete in the 2026 World Cup, without the striker Breel Embolostill without authorization to enter the country, nine days before the start of the competition.
The Rennes striker “unfortunately cannot travel to the United States with the team at this time”, revealed the Swiss federation, shortly before the departure of the flight between Zurich and Los Angeles that transported the Swiss delegation, which will be based in California.
The organization revealed that the ESTA authorization – an automated system that checks whether visa-exempt travelers can enter the United States – was approved, however, at 10:30 this Tuesday, the federation was suddenly informed that the process “would be subject to additional verification”.
Without explaining the reason for this setback, the Swiss federation only said that it was “in contact with the competent authorities” and assumed that its athlete “should join the team today or tomorrow [na quarta-feira]”.
On April 21, Breel Embolo was sentenced by Swiss justice to a 45-day suspended fine and around 3,275 euros for multiple threats made in 2018 during an altercation in Basel.
After reaching the round of 16 in the last three World Cups, the Swiss team begins the competition on June 13 against Qatar, in San Francisco, in a Group B that also includes Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The 2026 World Cup, which takes place between June 11 and June 19 and brings together, for the first time, 48 teams, will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
