Granit Xhaka Sits Out Switzerland Training Camp Over Vaccination Status

Granit Xhaka will sit out Switzerland’s upcoming training camp in Turkey after publicly addressing his vaccination status, the Swiss Football Association has confirmed.

The Swiss FA announced that, by mutual agreement with the player, Xhaka will not travel to Belek this week as Murat Yakin’s squad begin preparations for a demanding run of Uefa Nations League fixtures.

“Following his personal statement regarding his vaccination status, Granit Xhaka will not participate in the men’s national team’s upcoming gathering,” read an FA statement, drawing a clear line under days of speculation around the captain’s role.

Swiss FA president Peter Knabel backed the decision and underlined the need to steady the national side at a sensitive moment.

“We welcome the fact that Granit is taking this step and is prepared to fully clarify the situation,” Knabel said. “At the same time, we mutually concluded that it was in the team’s best interest to proceed with this gathering without him.

“Our priority now is to calm the situation and focus entirely on the team and the upcoming Uefa Nations League fixtures.”

Nations League campaign goes on without Xhaka

With Xhaka staying away, Switzerland turn their attention to the pitch. They open their Nations League campaign away to North Macedonia on Saturday, then head to Scotland for a second away test on September 29.

Home comforts follow in Lucerne, where the Swiss will host Slovenia on October 3 and welcome North Macedonia again on October 6. Those matches could go a long way to shaping the group before the final international window of the year.

Knabel stressed that Xhaka’s absence is not being treated as a permanent break, but as a pause while the issue around his vaccination statement is resolved.

“At the end of this international window we will reassess the situation with Granit and discuss the next steps,” he said.

Switzerland are due to face Slovenia again on November 13 and Scotland on November 16 to complete their Nations League schedule. By then, the question will be whether their long-time midfield leader is back at the heart of it all, or watching another crucial international window from the outside.