The visas necessary for that Cuba participate in the VI World Baseball Classic (WBC) They should begin to be received “in the coming days.”
This is what he reported a important means of Puerto Rico, headquarters of the group in which the island team was included. In order to play there, the Cuban team would have to receive immigration permits from the US Government, something that has not happened so far.
According to the information published by The New Dayfrom a source who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, Those permits were expected to begin being issued between Monday and Tuesday.
If true, this would put an end to the uncertainty aboutre the granting of visas of the Cuban cast, an essential step for their participation in the tournament.
Cuban visas for the World Baseball Classic in Puerto Rico are in process https://t.co/sKsrufCRgA
— DeportesEND (@DeportesEND) February 22, 2026
At this moment, a good part of the group Under the command of Germán Mesa, he is in Nicaragua holding a preparation stop against the squad of that country, and from there they have not emerged until now. information on the topic.
The Cuban team will debut in the WCB against Panama in a duel corresponding to group A, which between March 6 and 11 will be held in the city of San Juan.
In the Hiram Bithorn stadium, the most important on the so-called Isla del Encanto, toon the local team will begin their journey, along with those from Panama, Canadaá and Colombia.
Organizers trust
The MB company Sportsin charge of thes operations of the WBC in Puerto Rico, also issued encouraging signs about the possible presence of of Cuba in the initial phase of the tournament.
Anaymir “Tuti” Muñoz, vice president of the company, told the media that They perceive trust from maxlet’s go organWBC lifters about the stake Cubana.
“We as organizers do not handle the issue of visas, that is something that falls to the Commissioner’s Office (of Major League Baseball), but we do stay in communication and they feel confident that they will be participating,” accurate Muñoz.
Cuba plans to hold two preparation matches in the United States, which have been scheduled on March 3 and 4 against MLB teams. The first rival would be the Kansas City Royals club and the other the Cincinatti Reds, in both cases with Arizona as the setting.
Cuba will play against MLB teams… if it receives permission to participate in the World Classic
New chapter of tension
It is not the first time that the differences between the governments of Cuba and the United States have marked current sports events, and that in it Puerto Rico has been involved in its condition of Commonwealth of the nationnorthern ion.
One of the most recent events occurred last year, on the occasion of the last qualifying window for Americup basketball, which was going to take place in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan. So the presentation It ended up being canceled when a good part of the Cuban players did not obtain visas from the US authorities in time..
Official: Cuban basketball without visas to travel to Puerto Rico
The situation has raised concern about the possibility that Cuba will not be able to attend the qualifying events for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, or even this event itself, which is why social organizations have deployed a campaign to guarantee that right to the island’s athletes.
With greater or lesser tensions —according to the moment—Cuban baseball teams have always received the required authorization to enter Puerto Rico and the United States in the previous World Baseball Classics.
Cuba played in San Juan during the first edition of the tournament, when it had its best performance so far, reaching the decisive game that they lost to Japon.
Since then he has not been able to repeat on the podium: he finished in seventh place in 2009, fifth in 2013, returned to seventh place in 2017 and reached fourth place in 2023.
