COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Colorado Rapids forward Kévin Cabral has been granted a U.S. Green Card and will be classified as a domestic player on the club’s roster effectively immediately.
Born in Paris, France, Cabral moved to the United States after being transferred from Valenciennes FC of the French third tier to LA Galaxy in 2021. Colorado acquired the forward one year later in December of 2022. The upcoming 2025 season will mark Cabral’s third year with the club and his fifth in MLS.
Obtaining a Green Card allows an individual to become a lawful permanent resident in the United States. The multi-step process to obtain a Green Card includes petitions, paperwork and an in-person interview at the consulate or embassy of the applicant’s home country.
Under MLS Roster Guidelines, domestic players are classified as either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (i.e., Green Card holder), qualify as a domestic player under the Homegrown International Rule, or are the holder of a certain other special status. For players who obtain U.S. permanent residency while employed by MLS, the player will be considered a domestic player for the applicable season if such residency is granted, or the player has appeared for an immigrant visa interview by the Opening of the Secondary Transfer Window. Cabral’s Green Card meets the Roster Compliance Date for 2025, and his domestic status will go into effect immediately for the upcoming season.
Obtaining domestic status in MLS grants a club roster flexibility due to the limited number of international roster slots available. Each MLS team is given eight international roster slots, which are tradable, in full season increments, such that some clubs may have more than eight and some clubs may have less than eight during any given season. With his Green Card, Cabral will no longer occupy one of the Rapids’ international roster slots.
