Published on 6/17/2026
The Minority Leader in the US House of Representatives called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to allow the mother of Cape Verdean national team goalkeeper Fosinha to enter the United States to attend the World Cup matches and watch her son participate in the tournament.
Ana Candida Evora was unable to travel to follow her son during his brilliance in the goalless draw against Spain, due to the high costs related to the “visa bond” fees required to enter American territory.
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In January, Cape Verde was included in a list of dozens of countries whose citizens are required to pay financial bonds of up to $15,000 to obtain an entry visa to the United States, as part of measures adopted by the Donald Trump administration with the aim of reducing overstaying.
However, last month, the American authorities announced the cancellation of this condition for World Cup ticket holders, in a move they said aimed to facilitate “legitimate travel” during the tournament. However, the decision came too late for the Evora family, who had already abandoned the idea of traveling a distance exceeding 6,400 kilometers to the city of Atlanta.
The goalkeeper’s mother said: “I was hoping to travel and watch the match, but that was not possible.”
The story of her inability to witness her son’s brilliance sparked widespread reactions, as the leader of the Democratic minority in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, said via social media: “No mother should miss the opportunity to see her son make history.”
He added that he asked Foreign Minister Marco Rubio to make every effort to ensure her attendance at the next match on Sunday.
For his part, a US State Department official said that there is no record of Evora submitting a visa application, but he confirmed that family members of players are eligible for exemptions from bond fees, adding that Washington is “already communicating with the player’s family to provide assistance with travel procedures.”
I want her to be here
The Cape Verde national team goalkeeper caught international attention after he contributed to his country’s exit in a goalless draw against Spain in the team’s first World Cup appearance, before he collapsed in tears after the end of the match.
The player, whose real name is Josimar Dias, said that the reason he was affected was because his mother was unable to attend the match due to visa problems, adding: “My mother was unable to attend due to the visa and the costs, and I was hoping she would be here.”
For his part, President of the Cape Verdean Football Federation, Mario Semedo, said that traveling to the World Cup represents a great financial burden on fans from small countries, noting that the costs of flight, accommodation and tickets make attendance very difficult.
He stressed that “there is a need for solutions that balance immigration requirements and facilitate the attendance of families and fans, especially in the case of families of players who are experiencing historical moments.”
The report also indicated that the tournament also witnessed similar problems, including preventing the entry of one of the Somali referees, in addition to difficulties faced by some members of the technical staff of the Iranian national team regarding visas.
