Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa was given permission to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup following successful visa application appeal..
2025-06-16 10:17
Reuters reported on Monday that Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa, who was previously unable to participate in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup due to visa issues, has been issued a special visa after his appeal was successful.
According to the report, an official spokesperson for Boca Juniors has confirmed the matter to the newspaper. Under the terms of this special visa, Costa is allowed to enter the country to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, which is now in full swing, but on the premise that he cannot commit any more crimes in the United States within these 26 days.
Afterwards, Reuters reporters called the U.S. Embassy in Argentina for a response, but officials told reporters that since personal visa issues are confidential, the U.S. Embassy is not convenient to disclose why Ayrton was suddenly issued a special visa.
Recently, Reuters reported that Costa was suspected of participating in aggravated robbery in Argentina in 2018, and then he was tried in court in 2023 before his sentence was probationally reduced. Even so, he still has a criminal record and is still serving his sentence, hence his visa application was rejected by U.S. immigration officials.
Since Ayrton's visa issues was only resolved at the last minute, he is not expected to join the team on matchday 1 of the Group Stage match against Benfica tomorrow.
About Ayrton Costa
Costa, 25, was born in Quilmes, Argentina on July 12, 1999. He is 1.79 meters tall and primarily plays as a center back, but can also play as a left back.
Costa joined the Independiente youth academy since he was a child, and completed his Independiente first-team debut in a Copa de la Liga Profesional match in December 2020.
In the summer of 2022, Costa was loaned-out to Platense.
After returning to the club following the end of his loan spell in January of the following year, Costa officially became one of the key players in Independiente's first-team.
In July 2024, Costa joined Royal Antwerp for €2 million.
However, due to the lack of playing opportunities, Costa joined Boca Juniors for €3.4 million in January this year.
Since becoming a member of Los Xeneizes, Costa has played 11 times for the Argentine Primera División giants in all competitions, without scoring any goals or making any assists.
