Ayrton Costa may not travel with Boca Juniors to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, as U.S. immigration authorities have denied his visa request. The club is now depending on a possible intervention from FIFA to keep the defender eligible for the tournament.

Visa denial puts Boca's plans at risk

The week began with a serious setback for Boca Juniors. According to Diego Monroig on SportsCenter, Costa was once again denied entry to the United States, putting his Club World Cup participation in jeopardy. The club has exhausted all standard administrative and consular channels to reverse the decision. Their last hope lies in a special permit—or “waiver”—that FIFA could request to allow the player to enter the country strictly for sporting purposes.

The issue stems from a legal case in Argentina. Back in 2018, while playing in the youth ranks of Independiente, Costa was arrested along with his brother and another individual for possession of stolen property. The case was classified as “aggravated robbery in a populated area and as a group.” Although Costa avoided trial by accepting probation, the record remains active and affects his visa applications.

Boca hopes for FIFA intervention

Boca Juniors had already attempted to include Costa in the traveling squad, but the visa denial has made the situation increasingly complex. The U.S. embassy in Buenos Aires may review the case if new documentation is submitted or if FIFA makes an official request. Still, such exceptions are rare and subject to diplomatic discretion.

The coaching staff is already analyzing possible replacements in case Costa is not cleared. With the final roster submission deadline approaching, time is quickly becoming another obstacle. If the embassy doesn’t issue a reversal, Boca will have to face one of the year’s biggest tournaments without the defender.

In the end, everything hinges on a last resort: formal intervention by FIFA and a green light from the U.S. embassy. If that doesn’t happen, Ayrton Costa will miss the Club World Cup.