Granit Xhaka Faces Criminal Probe Over Fake Covid Certificate

Switzerland and Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka is under criminal investigation by prosecutors in Lucerne, Switzerland, after admitting on September 21, 2026, that he obtained a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022. The 33-year-old midfielder has been withdrawn from the Swiss national team’s upcoming four Nations League fixtures following his public admission, the Swiss Football Association (SFV) confirmed.

Direct answer: Xhaka admitted via social media on September 21, 2026, that he acquired a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022 while he was an Arsenal player, and the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into possible document forgery and fraudulent procurement of a false certificate. He has not been charged, and Sunderland has not issued a club statement on the matter as of this writing.

What Xhaka Admitted

Xhaka posted a statement on his personal social media channels on September 21, 2026, acknowledging that he had obtained a false vaccination document rather than resolving his concerns about the vaccine through legitimate channels. “In this agitated emotional state, I acquired a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the intended path,” Xhaka wrote, according to Reuters.

He added, “Today I see clearly that this path was not right. It was a mistake. I am sorry.” Xhaka also described being in a state of “deep mistrust of the vaccine” combined with “fear and uncertainty” at the time, according to reporting cited by Yahoo Sports. The certificate was allegedly obtained in 2022, when proof of vaccination was required in Switzerland for certain travel and access to public venues during the pandemic.

The admission came after Swiss news outlets, including the newspaper Blick, first reported that Xhaka was under investigation for allegedly obtaining fake certificates from a doctor in the Lucerne area. That doctor is separately suspected of issuing forged Covid-19 certificates to a number of unvaccinated clients, a scandal that has been under investigation by Swiss authorities since at least 2023, when police reportedly searched the physician’s practice.

The Criminal Investigation

The public prosecutor’s office in Lucerne confirmed it has opened a formal investigation to determine whether Xhaka’s conduct is criminally relevant. According to reporting from the Mirror, prosecutors said the inquiry aims “to clarify whether there has been conduct relevant under criminal law in connection with the possible fraudulent obtaining of a false certification and/or document forgery.”

The BBC reported that the case centers on a “false or forged” vaccination certificate and that Lucerne prosecutors were examining the matter following confirmation of the probe to German press agency dpa. No charges have been filed against Xhaka at this stage, and the precise legal exposure — including any potential penalty range — has not been detailed by Swiss authorities in public statements so far. Xhaka is expected to be questioned by prosecutors in the coming days, according to multiple outlets tracking the case.

It remains unconfirmed whether the investigation will result in formal charges. The case is still at the investigative stage, and Xhaka has not been convicted of any offense. Swiss prosecutors have not released a timeline for when the inquiry might conclude.

Swiss Football Association Response

The Swiss Football Association announced on September 21, 2026, that Xhaka would be withdrawn from the national squad and would miss Switzerland’s next four Nations League matches. The federation’s statement, confirmed to Reuters, tied the decision directly to Xhaka’s admission rather than to any disciplinary action or match suspension.

Xhaka has captained Switzerland for several years and was expected to lead the side into the September international window. His absence marks a significant disruption for the national team, given his standing as one of the most experienced players in the current squad and his long-standing leadership role both for Switzerland and in his club career at Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, and now Sunderland.

Sunderland’s Position

Xhaka joined Sunderland ahead of the 2025-26 season and was named club captain, playing a central role in the team’s return to the Premier League. As of September 23, 2026, Sunderland has not issued a public statement addressing the Lucerne investigation, and reporting from ESPN notes the club has been named in coverage of the case only as Xhaka’s current employer, without further comment attributed to the club.

The absence of a club statement leaves open questions about whether the Premier League club will address the matter internally or await the outcome of the Swiss investigation before commenting further. Xhaka remains available for Sunderland’s domestic fixtures, as the Swiss federation’s decision applies only to the international squad.

Background: Switzerland’s Covid Certificate Requirements

Switzerland required proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test — a system known as the Covid certificate — for entry to a range of venues and for certain travel between 2021 and early 2022, before the country lifted most pandemic restrictions. The requirement was a significant point of political and social division in Switzerland at the time, with a national referendum on Covid-19 measures held in 2021.

The investigation into Xhaka is connected to a broader inquiry into a Lucerne-area doctor accused of supplying fraudulent vaccination certificates to a number of clients who had not actually been vaccinated. Swiss prosecutors have been investigating that physician’s practice since at least 2023, according to reporting from the Mirror, and the case against Xhaka appears to stem from that wider probe rather than an isolated inquiry.

Xhaka’s Career Context

Xhaka, 33, has been a fixture of Swiss football for more than a decade, earning over 130 caps for the national team and serving as captain in recent tournament cycles, including Switzerland’s Euro 2024 campaign. At club level, he spent seven years at Arsenal before moving to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023, where he won the Bundesliga title as part of Xabi Alonso‘s unbeaten domestic treble-winning side in the 2023-24 season. He transferred to Sunderland in 2025 and was made captain as the club returned to the Premier League.

The timing of the alleged certificate coincides with his final years at Arsenal, when travel and matchday access across European competitions required proof of vaccination under UEFA and local government rules. No allegation has been made that the certificate affected his eligibility to play in specific matches; the investigation instead centers on how the document was obtained.

Timeline of Events

• 2022: Xhaka allegedly obtains a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate from a doctor in the Lucerne area, according to Swiss reports.
• 2023: Police reportedly search the practice of the doctor at the center of the wider fake-certificate investigation.
• September 19, 2026: Lucerne police confirm to press agency dpa that Xhaka is under criminal investigation over the alleged fake certificate.
• September 21, 2026: Xhaka publicly admits obtaining the false certificate and apologizes on social media.
• September 21, 2026: The Swiss Football Association confirms Xhaka will miss the upcoming Nations League camp and four matches.
• Week of September 21, 2026: Xhaka is expected to be questioned by Lucerne prosecutors, according to multiple outlets.

Reactions and Wider Implications

The case has drawn attention across Swiss and international media as one of the more prominent examples of a high-profile athlete admitting involvement in pandemic-era certificate fraud. The Guardian noted that Xhaka’s apology and withdrawal from the squad came directly from his own statement rather than a federation disciplinary process, suggesting the SFV’s decision was precautionary while the legal situation is clarified.

Xhaka’s admission also places renewed scrutiny on the doctor at the center of the broader Lucerne investigation, whose alleged practice of issuing fraudulent certificates to unvaccinated patients has been under scrutiny by Swiss authorities for several years. It is not yet clear how many other individuals, athletes or otherwise, may be connected to that inquiry.

For Switzerland, Xhaka’s absence removes their most experienced outfield leader from a squad preparing for Nations League fixtures, forcing manager to redistribute captaincy and leadership responsibilities during the international window. The federation has not indicated whether Xhaka’s exclusion could extend beyond the immediate four-match window depending on how the legal process develops.

What Happens Next

The immediate next step is Xhaka’s expected questioning by the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office. Swiss authorities will then determine whether the evidence supports formal criminal charges related to document forgery or fraudulent procurement of a false certificate. Until that process concludes, Xhaka’s status with the national team beyond the current international break remains uncertain, as does any potential response from Sunderland regarding his captaincy or availability.

This is a developing legal matter. No charges have been filed as of September 23, 2026, and this article will be updated as Swiss prosecutors and the clubs involved provide further statements.

Sources

• Reuters — reuters.com
• Xhaka under investigation over Covid-19 certificate – BBC — bbc.com
• Granit Xhaka loses Switzerland place over fake vaccine certificate — espn.com
• Granit Xhaka admits to receiving fake Covid vaccination certificate in … — theguardian.com
• Granit Xhaka admits he faked taking Covid vaccine – Yahoo Sports — sports.yahoo.com

Photo: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons