Visa secured: Breel Embolo to join Swiss squad Friday for World Cup

Swiss striker Breel Embolo will join his national team for the World Cup on Friday after successfully obtaining a U.S. visa. Embolo faced administrative hurdles and was initially denied entry to the United States just days before the tournament due to a past judicial conviction.

The Swiss Football Association (ASV) confirmed on Thursday evening that Embolo's visa had been approved. This development allows him to travel to the U.S. and link up with his teammates that same evening. The striker had been required to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Bern after being unable to travel with the team on their flight from Zurich to Los Angeles.

Embolo's automated travel authorization, known as 'Esta', was initially approved but later subjected to additional review shortly before his scheduled flight. The ASV explained that U.S. authorities requested judicial documents concerning a case from 2018, specifically inquiring about physical violence during an altercation. Embolo was definitively convicted in April for making multiple threats, receiving a suspended 45-day fine equivalent to 3,000 Swiss francs.