Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha celebrates as holds the flag of his country after the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Josimar “Vozinha” Dias catapulted onto the world’s stage with seven saves Monday in his World Cup debut as the underdog Cape Verde team played to a scoreless draw with powerhouse Spain. One thing put a damper on the day for the 40-year-old goalkeeper: His mother couldn’t afford the visa fees to travel to watch her son play.
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But that’s expected to change before Vozinha’s next game. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday he worked with the State Department and FIFA to waive the fees, and travel arrangements were underway to get Ana Candida Evora to her son’s next match.
“No mother should miss the chance to see her child make history,” Jeffries said in a statement, pointing to Vozinha’s “epic performance.”
Mother and son are expected to reunite in Miami ahead of Cape Verde’s Sunday match against Uruguay, Jeffries said.
Evora watched Cape Verde’s Monday match from home on the island off Africa’s coast. because she was unable to get a visa. Cape Verde is on a list of 50 countries that are subject to $15,000 visa bonds. The Trump administration enacted the enhanced fee for Cape Verde in January as part of an effort to crack down on travelers overstaying their visas.
“The amount [of the visa bond] is determined at the time of the visa interview,” according to the State Department’s website — though the information page also notes that the “Administration will waive the visa bond requirement for certain individuals traveling to the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.”
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The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on issuing a visa for Vozinha’s mother. FIFA, the Confederation of African Football and Cape Verde’s National Football Team also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Evora, a 59-year-old house cleaner, told Reuters she is “very proud” of her son.
“I said that no ball would enter his goal, and that is exactly what happened,” Evora said.
The 2026 World Cup wasn’t just Vozinha’s debut; it’s his country’s first appearance in the premier international soccer tournament.
“Cape Verdeans in America and throughout the diaspora have been celebrating the underdog grit and resilience of the Blue Sharks, joined by soccer fans from nations throughout the globe,” Jeffries said.
Vozinha gained millions of followers after Monday’s match, going from 50,000 Instagram followers to more than 12 million in just days.
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