Granit Xhaka Accepts Suspended CHF150,000 Fine in COVID Certificate Case

Swiss international Granit Xhaka has accepted a suspended financial penalty of CHF150,000 after acknowledging that he obtained a false COVID-19 vaccination certificate in Switzerland in 2022. The decision, issued through a summary judgment by the Lucerne Public Prosecutor’s Office, carries a two-year probation period. The fine will not be enforced if the midfielder commits no further offenses during that period. Xhaka has also said that he accepts responsibility and has paid the procedural costs.

The case brings a legal investigation involving one of Switzerland’s most prominent footballers to a significant stage, although questions remain about its sporting consequences. The Swiss Football Association has said that it is aware of the prosecutor’s decision and intends to discuss Xhaka’s future with him.

What the penalty means

The financial sanction consists of 50 daily penalty units, each set at CHF3,000, adding up to CHF150,000. It is suspended for two years rather than payable immediately as a criminal fine, provided Xhaka does not commit another offense during the probation period. He has separately paid the legal costs associated with the proceedings, according to his public statement and Swiss media reports.

Xhaka confirmed the outcome in a post on Instagram on October 8, saying that he accepted the decision and took responsibility for his actions. The judgment followed his earlier admission that he had obtained the false certificate. The reported penalty is therefore a suspended sentence, not a statement that the case resulted in an immediate CHF150,000 payment.

A suspended financial penalty generally means enforcement is conditional on compliance during the probation period. In Xhaka’s case, the reported condition is that he avoid further criminal offenses over the next two years. The legal outcome should be distinguished from any decision that football authorities may make about his position with the national team.

Xhaka’s explanation and admission

The investigation became public in September 2026 after Swiss media reported that authorities were examining whether Xhaka had obtained a fraudulent COVID-19 certificate. The Lucerne Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that proceedings had been opened. At that stage, the allegations were under investigation and the presumption of innocence applied.

Later in September, Xhaka publicly acknowledged obtaining the certificate. He said he had experienced serious reservations and mistrust about COVID-19 vaccination and had felt anxious and uncertain at the time. He described obtaining the document instead of resolving his questions through appropriate channels as a mistake and apologized. He also said he was cooperating with the authorities.

The certificate was obtained in 2022, when Xhaka was playing for Arsenal in England. The current judgment concerns his acquisition of a false certification in Switzerland; it should not be confused with a new sporting offense committed during a match or with a disciplinary ruling by a football governing body.

National team absence during the investigation

The investigation affected Xhaka’s availability for Switzerland’s recent Nations League fixtures. In agreement with the Swiss Football Association, he did not join the national team’s training camp in Turkey and missed four matches during the international window. The association said the decision had been made in the team’s interests while the matter was being addressed.

Following the judgment, the association acknowledged that it had received information about the prosecutor’s decision. According to Swiss public broadcaster SRF, the federation said the legal matter had reached a conclusion and that discussions about the future relationship with Xhaka could now take place. It has not yet been established what, if any, additional sporting measures will follow.

That distinction matters because a criminal judgment and a football association’s selection decision are separate processes. A player may face questions about team participation or internal standards even after a legal proceeding has concluded. In Xhaka’s case, the federation’s next steps will determine how the matter affects his immediate role with Switzerland.

A prominent figure in Swiss football

Xhaka has been a central figure in Swiss football for years and has captained the national team. At club level, he has played in England and Germany before joining Sunderland. His standing in the national setup means the case has attracted attention beyond the legal proceedings themselves.

The episode also revives questions about the responsibilities public figures carry when their decisions intersect with public-health rules. During the pandemic, COVID-19 certificates were used in Switzerland and elsewhere as part of measures governing access to certain activities and venues. The circumstances and regulations changed over time, but the documents were intended to provide evidence of a person’s vaccination, test or recovery status under the applicable rules.

Xhaka’s admission concerns the use of a false certificate, not simply his personal views about vaccination. His stated doubts help explain the circumstances he described, but they do not remove the legal significance of obtaining false documentation. The judgment establishes the outcome of the proceedings against him; broader conclusions about pandemic policy or other individuals should not be inferred from this case alone.

What happens next?

The immediate legal outcome is clear: Xhaka has accepted a suspended fine of CHF150,000 and a two-year probation period, and he says the procedural costs have been paid. The key outstanding issue is the footballing response. The Swiss Football Association’s planned discussions may clarify his future availability, but no further sanction should be treated as confirmed until the relevant authorities announce a decision.

The case is also a reminder that public admissions and legal proceedings can have consequences beyond the courtroom, particularly for athletes who represent a country as well as a club. For now, Xhaka has accepted the prosecutor’s decision. How Switzerland manages his return to the national setup, and whether the association imposes any separate measures, remains to be seen.