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 | |
|---|---|
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| 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]
History
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 football
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]
League system
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 | |||||||||||
National team
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]
Football stadiums
| Stadium | City | Capacity | Tenants | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estadio Pedro Marrero | Havana | 30,000 | Cuba national football team |  |