Boca Juniors Defender Denied US Visa Misses Club World Cup

Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa will miss the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States after being denied a US visa due to a past criminal complaint linked to an attempted robbery in 2018 in Argentina. Costa accepted a probationary sentence in 2023 for the case, which led US authorities to consider him inadmissible under current immigration rules. Despite Boca Juniors including him in the squad and efforts to resolve the visa issue, including a third application and potential FIFA intervention, the US embassy has consistently denied his entry. Costa's absence forces Boca to adjust their lineup for their opening match against Benfica, with veteran Marcos Rojo expected to start. The visa denial comes amid a broader visa crackdown by the Trump administration, affecting visitors and students with criminal records. Boca Juniors confirmed the situation but provided no further details, and the US embassy has not publicly commented on the matter.