The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation announced the country's non-participation in the 2025 Caribbean Cup

The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS) has stated that Cuba will not take part in the upcoming Caribbean Cup, scheduled in the Bahamas from December 1st to 9th. This decision is influenced by various strategic, logistical, and economic considerations for the country, especially with regard to future international competitions.

Reasons behind Cuba's withdrawal

Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, the president of the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation, stated yesterday in Havana that the decision is due to Cuba having already secured direct qualification for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. As a result, taking part in the Caribbean Cup would not offer any competitive or logistical benefits.

Among the main reasons are:

• Guaranteed qualification: Cuba has already secured its spot for Santo Domingo 2026, eliminating the need to compete in a qualifying tournament.

• Additional costs: Participation would entail expenses that the federation considers unnecessary at this time.

• Overlap with the National Series: The Caribbean Cup coincides with the 64th National Series.

• Venue Limitations: The Bahamas can only host an event with a maximum of six teams, which restricts participation and affects regional planning.

Impact of the Baseball Americas Cup Cancellation

Cuba's decision is directly connected to the cancellation of the inaugural Baseball Americas Cup, initially scheduled to take place in Panama and serve as a qualifier for the Pan American and Central American Games. The event was canceled because sponsors failed to meet contractual obligations, necessitating a reorganization of the qualification process.

This change affected the entire region:

• The Pan American Baseball Confederation (COPABE) and WBSC Americas had to find alternative ways to determine the qualifying spots.

• The Caribbean Cup was considered as a qualifying route, but geographical and logistical problems arose.

• The six-team limit in the Bahamas prevented the participation of several Caribbean countries.

New Qualification System for Santo Domingo 2026

Confronted with the challenges, the Executive Committee opted to distribute the remaining spots based on the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) ranking. Consequently, the countries that qualified were:

• Mexico (3rd in the Americas)

• Puerto Rico (4th)

• Panama (5th)

• Cuba (6th)

• Colombia (8th)

As a result of this measure, the Caribbean Cup now has only one available spot, diminishing the level of competition and altering the dynamics of the tournament.

For Cuban baseball fans, this news is disappointing because the Caribbean Cup provides a platform for emerging players to display their talent internationally.

However, given Cuba's economic challenges, it is understandable that the federation is focusing on the National Series and upcoming national and international events like the Elite League, the Caribbean Series, the World Baseball Classic, and the Central American and Caribbean Games, aiming to optimize resources and efforts.

Nonetheless, it can be concluded that in less than a month, two of the region's tournaments have been removed from Cuba and its baseball scene.

Although the primary goal was achieved—qualifying for the baseball tournament at the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games based on the country's world ranking—the chance to use both regional tournaments as a testing ground to evaluate players for the main global event, the World Baseball Classic in 2026, was missed.

The Americas region, through COPABE, has also been disappointing regarding the organization and planning of the first edition of the Copa América, which had created expectations across the continent.

This situation urges regional federations and organizations to seek more flexible and sustainable solutions for the future of baseball in the Caribbean. Cooperation and planning will be crucial to maintaining the sport's competitiveness and development in the region.