Granit Xhaka Excluded from Switzerland's Training Camp

Granit Xhaka will sit out Switzerland’s upcoming training camp in Belek, Turkey, after the Swiss Football Association and the player agreed he would not join up with the squad this week.

The decision follows Xhaka’s recent public statement about his vaccination status, which has pushed the national team setup into the spotlight just days before the start of their Uefa Nations League campaign.

“Following his personal statement regarding his vaccination status, Granit Xhaka will not participate in the men’s national team’s upcoming gathering,” the Swiss FA confirmed.

Swiss FA president Peter Knabel backed the move, stressing that the midfielder’s absence is intended to steady the situation around the squad rather than inflame it.

“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.”

The message from the federation is clear: take the heat out of the debate and clear the stage for football.

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

Those fixtures come quickly. Switzerland open their Nations League campaign away to North Macedonia on Saturday, then head to Scotland on September 29. The schedule then swings back to Lucerne, where the Swiss will host Slovenia and North Macedonia on October 3 and 6.

By then, Xhaka’s situation should be back on the table.

“At the end of this international window we will reassess the situation with Granit and discuss the next steps,” Knabel said, leaving the door open but not unlocked.

Switzerland are also due to meet Slovenia again on November 13 and Scotland on November 16 in the same competition. With a demanding Nations League block ahead, the question now is simple: when the campaign reaches its decisive stretch, will Xhaka be back at the heart of it?