According to the Russian sports publication BO Sport, the Cuban women's national volleyball team has qualified for the NORCECA (for teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean) Final Four tournament, which will take place from July 16 to 21 in Puerto Rico.
However, the Cuban volleyball players will not participate in the tournament, as none of them, nor the coaches and officials from the delegation, have received visas from the US Embassy in Havana. This happens despite the fact that the tournament is not in the continental USA, but in Puerto Rico, which is a territory under the sovereignty of the US Congress and US immigration laws apply.
BO Sport also reports that this refusal is due to a new visa decree signed by President Donald Trump on June 9, 2025, which introduces bans or partial bans for citizens of several countries, including Cuba. According to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, this decision represents a "racist and xenophobic list of visa restrictions" and aims to block the development of Cuban sports.
A statement from the Cuban Volleyball Federation says that such decisions are against the rules of sports and contradict the obligations of host countries of international sporting events, especially given the US hosting the Olympic Games in 2028.
✅ Confirmation from an independent source: Inside The Games
The information was also confirmed by the renowned sports publication Inside The Games, which on June 29, 2025, published an article with the title“Cuba pull out of NORCECA Women's Final Four after visa issues”. It states that:
The entire Cuban delegation has been denied visas to travel to Puerto Rico for the NORCECA tournament.
This happened despite repeated efforts by NORCECA and the organizers to mediate a resolution to the issue.
According to Inside The Games, the Cuban Olympic Committee expressed "serious concern for the reputation of the Olympic movement," stressing that such cases create uncertainty for the future of international competitions to be held in US territory.
⚠ Consequences for Cuba
Missing the “Final Four” has serious consequences:
The team loses the opportunity to accumulate points for the continental and world rankings, which will affect qualifications for future major tournaments such as the Nations League, World Championship, and Olympics.
Most likely, Cuba's place will be taken by Trinidad and Tobago.
✍ Conclusion
The case shows how politics can deeply interfere with sports and prevent athletes from performing on the international stage. On the one hand, this is a signal to international sports federations that they need to be careful where they plan key tournaments, and on the other hand, a heavy blow to Cuba, which is trying to revive its women's volleyball.
