Association_football_in_Cuba
Football in Cuba
Overview of football in Cuba
Football in Cuba is run by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba.[1] The association administers the national teams, as well as the Campeonato Nacional.
| Football in Cuba | |
|---|---|
| Country | Cuba |
| Governing body | Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba |
| National team(s) | men's national team |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Football has been very popular among young people and the new generations in Cuba, being among two most popular national sports.[2][3]
The first recorded football match in Cuba was in 1901.[4] Football has struggled as sport in Cuba since Baseball is the number one sport in the country.[5] Since the 21st Century football has enjoyed a surge of popularity amongst the youth since Raúl Castro eased restrictions media, allowing international football to be televised starting with the 2010 World Cup.[6] [7] La Liga and particularly Real Madrid and Barcelona are popular amongst the youth.[8][9]
Professional sports have been forbidden by the Cuban government since 1961, but in 2016, Maikel Reyes became the first Cuban to be allowed to sign a professional contract with a foreign team when he joined Mexican third-tier side Cruz Azul Premier.[10] Until then, Cuban footballers who played professionally had done so without approval of the country's football association and after fleeing the country.[11]
Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba is national top league where usually 16 clubs are split into four groups of four.[12]
2019
| Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba 16 clubs | |||||||||||
Cuba has only qualified for the world cup once in 1938 and were eliminated in the quarter-finals.[13] They lost 8–0 to Sweden.[14]
Traditionally one of the weaker teams in CONCACAF has seen significant improvement qualifying for the Gold Cup, and reaching the quarter-finals in 2015 and 2017.[15][16]
Cuban professional players from abroad are recruited to improve the national football team.[17]
| Stadium | City | Capacity | Tenants | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estadio Pedro Marrero | Havana | 30,000 | Cuba national football team | |
- Euan McTear (2015-11-13). "Cuba's route to football glory: a six-month training camp in North Korea | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
- Pierce, Charles P. (20 July 2015). "Diplomatic Relations: The USMNT and Cuba Play Soccer in a Changing World".
- Costa, Brian (9 June 2015). "Why Baseball Is Losing Its Grip on Cuba" – via Wall Street Journal.
- "History of Cuba's football (soccer) 1907-1938". The Antique Football. 27 September 2022.
- "Baseball in Their Veins, but a New Ball at Their Feet". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- "Baseball is in Cuba's blood, but soccer is stealing its heart | GrindTV.com". October 2, 2016. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016.
- "Soccer Wins Over New Generation Of Fans In Cuba". NPR. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- Archibold, Randal C. (2 May 2012). "Soccer Gains in Cuba Where Baseball is King". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
- Longman, Jeré (25 December 2014). "As cuba Opens the Worlds Sport May Take Hold". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
- "Wind of change ready to blow through Cuba". April 30, 2016.
- Hodges-Ramon, Luca (March 6, 2014). "The winds of change in Cuban football".
- "Goal.com World Cup History: 1938 | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
- "Football gradually usurping baseball in Cuba". www.fifa.com.
- "Soccer's popularity continues to rise in Cuba". Los Angeles Times. March 13, 2016.
- Arnold, Jon (March 23, 2021). "Cuba Is Stocking Up on Overseas Players. What's the Goal?". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
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