Ana Candida Evora will be in the stands when Cape Verde next play at the 2026 World Cup. The mother of goalkeeper Vozinha, who was reduced to tears after his side’s 0-0 draw with Spain on Monday, has had her visa fees waived to travel to the United States, US House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed on Wednesday.
“No mother should miss the chance to watch their child compete on the world’s biggest stage,” Jeffries said in a statement, announcing that the State Department had cleared the financial hurdle that had kept Evora at home in Praia for her son’s tournament debut. The 40-year-old goalkeeper, who made nine saves against Spain to secure the most improbable point of the group stage so far, had spoken openly after the match about the absence that overshadowed the night of his life.
Cape Verde, ranked 73rd in the world and playing at their first World Cup, were named earlier this year on a US government list of countries whose citizens must post a returnable bond of $15,000 (£11,200) on top of standard visa fees. The Trump administration scrapped the bond requirement for verified World Cup ticket holders last month, but the announcement came too late for Evora, whose travel plans had already collapsed under the original cost.
Why the policy snared a World Cup family
The bond requirement was introduced in early 2026 as part of a broader tightening of visa policy targeting roughly two dozen nations the administration flagged as high-risk for overstays. Cape Verde, a stable democracy of 600,000 people off the coast of West Africa, was an unusual inclusion. Travel agents in Praia reported a wave of cancelled bookings in the weeks after the list was published in February.
By the time FIFA and the State Department negotiated a carve-out for ticketed supporters in May, Evora had already abandoned the trip. Vozinha, born Marcio Rosa and a veteran of the Portuguese second tier with Vilafranquense, had paid for his mother’s flights but could not cover the bond on top of family travel for his wife and children. He told reporters in Houston after the Spain match that he had spoken to his mother on the phone moments before kick-off and had “played the game for her” without knowing whether she would ever see him at a World Cup in person.
Jeffries, the highest-ranking Democrat in the House, intervened after the goalkeeper’s post-match interview drew widespread attention in the US media. His office said the visa fees had been waived under a humanitarian discretion clause and that Evora’s paperwork was being expedited through the US embassy in Praia.
The man behind the headlines
Vozinha is the oldest outfield starter at the tournament and the spiritual leader of a Cape Verde squad that qualified for the World Cup by beating Cameroon in a play-off last November. He has played 71 times for the Blue Sharks across a 16-year international career that began in 2010, long before the federation had a permanent training base on the islands.
His display against Spain ranks among the great individual goalkeeping performances in World Cup group-stage history. Cape Verde faced 24 shots and had just 28% possession in Arlington, but Vozinha kept out close-range efforts from Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and substitute Mikel Oyarzabal in the second half. Spain’s xG of 2.81 was the highest recorded in a goalless World Cup match since Opta began tracking the metric in 2010.
The draw lifted Cape Verde to second in Group B on goal difference, behind a Uruguay side they meet on Saturday in Kansas City. A point against the South Americans would put qualification for the last 16 in their own hands going into the final group game against Iran.
What it means beyond the result
The intervention sets a precedent that other federations are likely to test. Officials from Haiti and Sierra Leone, both on the original bond list and both with players competing in the tournament, have already approached the State Department this week seeking similar humanitarian waivers for immediate family members.
FIFA, which spent much of the build-up to the tournament insisting that visa issues were a matter for host governments, will privately welcome the resolution. The governing body has faced criticism throughout the opening week for accreditation delays affecting journalists and federation staff from African and Caribbean nations, and a clean image around a debutant nation’s breakthrough moment is a rare piece of good news.
For Vozinha, the practical consequence is straightforward. When Cape Verde line up against Uruguay on Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium, his mother will be in the crowd. Whatever happens in the 90 minutes that follow, the goalkeeper has already said the night will mean more than the one that made him famous.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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