Cuba Confirms its Participation in the 2026 World Baseball Classic Despite Obstacles
The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation confirmed this Sunday its participation in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, despite the setbacks generated by the denial of visas to eight members of its delegation by the United States. The news, disseminated through official media, highlights the national team’s firm determination to compete in the international tournament.The federation has called the United States’ decision a “discriminatory and politicized” act, pointing out that the affected delegates had important functions assigned by the tournament organizers, just like the representatives of other participating countries. Faced with this situation, the responsibilities of the members who will not be able to travel have been redistributed among the available staff, including members of the technical team. The federation acknowledges that this puts the Cuban team at an operational and competitive disadvantage. The Cuban team plans to travel to Arizona soon, where they will continue their final preparation before the start of the tournament, scheduled from March 5 to 17. The championship will be held in Miami, Houston, San Juan, and Tokyo. The National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder) has also expressed its criticism of the US government’s decision, calling it an act of aggression that seeks to hinder the Cuban team’s participation in the competition. Cuba will compete in Group A of the tournament along with Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, and Canada. The island’s sports authorities have indicated that the team’s objective is to equal or improve the historic fourth place obtained in the 2023 edition of the World Baseball Classic.“We will not give up on a tournament we have been part of since its first edition. Our will to compete and do so with dignity prevails,” the federation expressed in a statement.
Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation
