Cape Verde Weighs 2026 World Cup Dream as U.S. Immigration Fears Cloud Travel

1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 7

Cape Verde is celebrating a realistic shot at the 2026 World Cup while worrying that U.S. immigration enforcement could keep relatives and supporters from attending matches.
Migration is central to the small island nation's identity and to its soccer team, whose players and families are spread across a large diaspora with deep ties abroad.
On São Vicente, teenagers train from sunrise before school and return at night, reflecting how strongly World Cup hopes have gripped the country.
The tension captures a broader dilemma for Cape Verde: a rare chance for global sporting visibility tied to a tournament in a country that also stirs anxiety over entry and enforcement.