Cuba’s participation in 2026 World Baseball Classic appears virtually assured, including the essential permit from the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), key requirement for the Cuban team to participate in an event organized by entities under US jurisdiction.
This was confirmed by several sources to the specialized journalist Francys Romero, who specified on Facebook that the country is finalizing the final procedures.
According to Romero, the Cuban Baseball Federation recently submitted a pre-list of 50 players, including several names that stand out in the Big Leagues, such as Andy Pagés, Andy Ibáñez, Yoan MoncadaYariel Rodríguez -a case that arouses suspicion-, Daysbel Hernández and Lázaro Estrada.
The presence of active players in MLB testifies to the continuity of the controlled opening process initiated for the 2023 Classic, although under strict government supervision.
Veto to Cuban-Americans: the government’s red line
Despite the apparent institutional green light, the government maintains clear limits on who can join the so-called “Team Cuba.” Romero confirmed that Cuban-American baseball players, including talented Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, did not receive permission from higher political authorities to be summoned.
This pattern of political exclusion reflects that, although Havana has been forced to flex its relationship with the sporting diaspora, it continues to deny access to U.S.-born or trained athletes who could raise the team’s competitive level. In other words, the selection remains a project managed not only according to sporting criteria, but also through ideological control.
A promising workforce, but limited by political decisions
The inclusion of MLB players could make for one of the most talented Cuban teams featured in a World Classic in the last decade. However, the inability to add Cuban-American figures who have expressed their desire to wear the Cuban jersey represents a brake on the real potential of the team.
Meanwhile, sports authorities are working to finalize all formal requirements, which have historically been a decisive bureaucratic step for the participation of Cuban delegations in sporting events organized from the United States.
Path to Classic 2026
With the green light practically assured and a pre-list that mixes established figures and young talents, Cuba is preparing to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. But this will be done, once again, with a team marked by decisions that transcend the sporting field.
The question that remains in the air is whether the selection will be able to aspire to a historic result despite the limitations self-imposed by the government itself.
