Swiss striker Breel Embolo gets visa, cleared to enter U.S.

Field Level Media|published: Thu 4th June, 20:36 2026

Switzerland's Breel Embolo celebrates scoring a goal against Kosovo in Basel, Switzerland on Sept. 5, 2025.

Switzerland forward Breel Embolo could not travel with the team on Tuesday due to a flagged visa, but the Switzerland football federation on Thursday announced that Embolo would be joining his teammates later this week.

"We have just been informed that Breel Embolo's visa has been approved," a statement from the federation read. "He will therefore be able to travel to the United States. He is expected to join the team on Friday evening."

A 29-year-old striker with 24 international goals to his credit as a member of the Swiss team, Embolo's absence would have certainly been felt.

At the club level, Embolo has most recently competed for French side Stade Rebbaus FC, where he had 10 goals in 2025-26.

Per the BBC, the snag came up due to a previous conviction over an altercation in Basel in 2018. Embolo had been convicted of making threats five years later, which he chose not to appeal.

That left his fate to be decided at a meeting at the US Embassy in Bern, where he made his case on Wednesday.

Switzerland is scheduled to open the World Cup on June 13 against Qatar in Group B play in Santa Clara, Calif. Other members of the group include Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

--Field Level Media