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Switzerland’s Breel Embolo Awaiting Visa Clearance to Travel to the U.S.
Swiss forward Breel Embolo is currently in a holding pattern, awaiting clearance to travel to the United States. After he submitted a visa application during an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Bern on Wednesday, the Swiss football federation reported that his travel authorization is under review.
Embolo missed his team’s departure to California on Tuesday due to complications with his ESTA travel authorization, which was unexpectedly flagged for further review mere hours before the squad’s flight to Los Angeles. The Swiss federation issued a statement indicating that the embassy is treating the application as a priority and that both Embolo and the national team are waiting for the necessary approval to allow him to travel to San Diego and rejoin his teammates as soon as possible.
The situation is linked to a legal matter involving Embolo from 2018, when he was convicted in 2023 for making multiple threats, a conviction that was later upheld on appeal. As U.S. authorities became aware that the judgment has become final and legally binding, they requested the court documents related to the case.
The Swiss federation clarified that inquiries from the embassy focused on any potential involvement of physical violence, asserting that such an incident did not occur. Initially, all ESTA applications, including Embolo’s, were approved prior to U.S. authorities requesting additional checks approximately two and a half hours before departure.
According to Lauren Bis, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Trump administration has reinforced immigration regulations. Under the Visa Waiver Program, all ESTA applications are continuously screened against law enforcement and security databases. Travelers must fully disclose all criminal histories, as failure to do so could lead to denial or revocation of their ESTA status, or even a permanent ban from entering the U.S. Nonetheless, an approved ESTA does not guarantee admission into the country, with individuals ineligible for the Visa Waiver Program due to criminal convictions having to apply for a visa instead.
A spokesperson for the Swiss team informed Reuters that Embolo had traveled to the United States without issues in June 2025 when the national team participated in matches against both Mexico and the U.S. Switzerland is placed in World Cup Group B, competing alongside co-hosts Canada, Bosnia, and Qatar, with their opening match set against Qatar on June 13 in San Francisco.
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