Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has admitted obtaining a Covid-19 vaccination certificate improperly in 2022 and has been withdrawn from the national team's current UEFA Nations League camp after a joint decision with the Swiss Football Association (SFV).
Xhaka, the Sunderland midfielder and Switzerland's record appearance holder with 152 caps, posted a personal statement on Instagram on Monday, 21 September 2026. He said that at the time — when he was still at Arsenal — he had been deeply uncertain about Covid-19 vaccination, felt mistrust toward the vaccine, and in that state obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying his questions through the proper channels.
"Today I clearly see this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry," he wrote, according to quotes carried by BBC Sport and The Guardian. He said he takes responsibility, will engage with establishing the facts, and will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities.
Lucerne investigation
The public prosecutor's office in Lucerne confirmed an investigation is under way to establish whether any conduct relevant under criminal law occurred in connection with the possible fraudulent obtaining of a false certification and/or document forgery, The Guardian reported, quoting a cantonal spokesperson.
BBC Sport reported that such certificates were required in Switzerland for access to various activities, venues and travel until spring 2022, and that certificates continued to be issued afterward mainly for foreign travel entry rules, though there was never a general legal requirement to hold one. Questioning of Xhaka may follow; secondary reports have pointed to early October or the following week. No charges, fine or football ban have been confirmed.
BBC Sport noted a Swiss ice-hockey parallel: former Switzerland men's coach Patrick Fischer was convicted in 2023 of using a fake Covid-19 certificate at the 2022 Winter Olympics and later faced further sporting sanctions. That case is separate; outcomes for Xhaka remain undetermined.
SFV: camp without the captain
The SFV said Xhaka will not take part in the current men's national-team gathering. The decision was reached jointly by the player and association leadership after his public statement, with the aim of calming the situation and focusing on the team.
Switzerland prepared in Belek, Turkey, for Nations League fixtures away to North Macedonia (26 September) and Scotland (29 September), then home against Slovenia and North Macedonia in early October. Xhaka will miss those four matches. SFV president Peter Knabel said Xhaka had approached the association the previous evening, stated he would admit the matter publicly and take responsibility, and that the parties jointly concluded it was in the team's interests to complete the camp without him. The association said Xhaka's future with the team would be discussed after the international window.
Xhaka captained Switzerland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Argentina. Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris declined to discuss the matter after Sunday's Premier League defeat at Manchester City, saying it was not his area and that, about football, Xhaka "is really good," BBC Sport reported. Sunderland separately told The Guardian they were not commenting.
BetAlert reports the player's admission, the SFV withdrawal and attributed prosecutor confirmation only. No charges, penalties or sporting bans are stated as facts.