Football in Cuba


Football in Cuba is run by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba. The association administers the national football team, as well as the Campeonato Nacional.
Football is the second most popular sport in Cuba after baseball. It has been very popular among young people and the new generations in Cuba. Most Cubans either support Barcelona or Real Madrid from La Liga.

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. Until then, Cuban footballers who played professionally had done so without approval of the country's football association and after fleeing the country.

League system

2019