Leeds United forward NOAH OKAFOR says he won’t play for Switzerland while MURAT YAKIN remains head coach.

Friday, September 11, 2026 - Leeds United forward Noah Okafor has announced that he will not play for Switzerland under current head coach Murat Yakin, citing a breakdown in trust between them.

The 26-year-old was included in Switzerland’s World Cup squad following his performances during his first Premier League season but was limited to one substitute appearance, coming on during the team’s last-32 victory over Algeria. Okafor has now made himself unavailable for international duty, saying his decision was not related to a lack of playing time.

“My decision has nothing to do with my playing time,” Okafor wrote in a social media post. “Things happened that hurt me deeply. Trust was broken. Commitments were not kept. And when I was allowed to play against Algeria, people reacted to minor mistakes far away from our goal in a way that hurt me deeply.

“In the weeks that followed, I thought a lot and decided for myself that I no longer want to play for the national team under the current manager.” The Swiss Football Association confirmed Okafor’s decision, saying it had been informed that he would temporarily step away from the national team.

“Noah informed us today that, for the time being, he will no longer play for the national team. We respect his decision and wish him every success with his club,” a spokesperson said. Okafor’s withdrawal comes ahead of Switzerland’s Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia.

The Leeds forward, who provided an assist in his club’s Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday, had previously expressed frustration with Yakin and Swiss FA sporting director Pierluigi Tami after being left out of World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Kosovo last year.

“I never spoke with the coach, not even a phone call or a message, also with the (Swiss FA’s) sporting director Pierluigi Tami. They don’t even call me or ask me,” Okafor said at the time. “For me, it makes no sense. I can say it makes me sad because they don’t even text me or call me to see how I am.

“For example, when I moved to Leeds, ‘Congrats’ or something like that, because I play now in the best league in the world.” Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka had previously urged Okafor to focus on earning a recall rather than creating further friction.

Okafor, who previously played for AC Milan and has made 26 appearances for Switzerland, has started Leeds’ last two Premier League matches, including their draw with Brighton last weekend. His latest decision means he will remain unavailable for Switzerland while Yakin remains in charge, based on the position outlined in his statement.