- Nati striker Breel Embolo (29) could not fly with the team to the USA due to ESTA problems.
- According to the SFV, he should fly later today or tomorrow.
- There are many pitfalls with the ESTA: incorrect passport number, different name or incorrect date of birth can lead to rejection.
Nati superstar Breel Embolo is still in Switzerlandwhile his teammates are already on their way to the World Cup in the USA: Because there were problems with his ESTA, the 29-year-old was unable to board the plane to Los Angeles. According to the association, the striker should fly on Tuesday or Wednesday – whichever There is a problem with his entry documentis not known in more detail.
This is the ESTA
Many Swiss people are probably familiar with the “Electronic System for Travel Authorization”, or ESTA for short. It allows citizens of certain states for two years Visa-free stays of a maximum of 90 days at a time in the USA.
The Swiss national team stars also travel to the USA with such ESTA forms for the almost 40-day long tournament.
These countries are part of the program
The case of Embolo shows once again that problems still arise, even though the form was actually approved in advance by the US authorities.
These are the biggest stumbling blocks
- Incorrect passport number: Even confusing 0 (number) and O (letter) can result in the ESTA being issued for a different passport and therefore being invalid.
- Name not the same as in the passport: In Switzerland, many people have a second or even third name, which also appears in their passport. If this is not stated on the ESTA, this may cause problems upon entry. Anyone who has married and thereby changed their name should also be particularly careful here.
- Gender or date of birth incorrect: Particular care should be taken when using autofill forms, as the USA operates on a month-day-year basis.
- Passport soon to expire: The expiry date of the passport should also be carefully checked. If this expires while you are in the USA, you must apply for a new ESTA form with the new passport.
These cases caused a stir
The ESTA also includes a series of questions that seem strange when you fill them out: For example, you are asked whether you have ever recruited child soldiers or taken part in terrorist actions. There are always cases in which applicants accidentally answer these questions in the affirmative and, as a result, practically always end in a rejection.
In 2018, a Scottish senior citizen was unable to enter the country after confirming that he was a terrorist on the ESTA. With the seemingly strange questions, the US authorities are primarily securing themselves legally in order to have the necessary basis for deportations.
That’s why tricking is a double-edged sword
It is currently not mandatory to provide social media profiles in the ESTA application. The relevant question has been around for years, but is marked as optional. If you don’t provide any information, you can still submit the application. The US Customs Authority CBP confirms that missing information on social media alone should not be viewed negatively.
At the end of 2025, the US government proposed making it mandatory to provide social media accounts from the last five years. According to the current status (June 2026), this is still a planned change or a proposed regulation; The previous ESTA version does not yet require this information.
What do you think about US entry formalities like the ESTA?
This question has been asked about ESTA travel to other countries for many years. Past vacations can also result in you not being allowed into the USA. Anyone who has stayed in Cuba for at least one day after January 12, 2021 will not receive an ESTA. Similar rules apply to countries such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan and North Korea.
Anyone who has traveled to one of these countries but does not declare this will, with a bit of luck, be allowed into the country – but if they are caught, they face serious consequences: giving false information to the US authorities is considered to have significantly more consequences than the underlying fact itself. This also applies to people with a criminal record who want to go to the USA.
In the case of Breel Embolo, given the statements made by the Swiss Football Association, the problem should be resolved much more quickly than in most other ESTA cases. Once the Nati star has made it to Los Angeles, he will continue to the training camp in San Diego.
Benedikt Hollenstein (bho) has been at 20 minutes since 2021. He writes for the news desk and also takes on day management shifts there.
