Football in Cuba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Country | Cuba |
| Governing body | Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba |
| National team | 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] Approximately 40% of the people in Cuba are considered association football fans.[4]
History
The first recorded football match in Cuba was in 1901.[5] Football has struggled as sport in Cuba since Baseball is the number one sport in the country.[6] Since the beginning of the 21st century, football has enjoyed a surge of popularity amongst the youth since Raúl Castro eased restrictions media. This has allowed for international football to be televised, starting with the 2010 World Cup.[7][8] La Liga, and particularly Real Madrid and Barcelona are popular amongst the youth.[9][10]
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.[11] Until then, Cuban footballers who played professionally had done so without approval of the country's football association and after fleeing the country.[12]
League system
Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba is national top league where usually 16 clubs are split into four groups of four.[13]
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.[14] They lost 8–0 to Sweden.[15]
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.[16][17]
Cuban professional players from abroad are recruited to improve the national football team.[18]
Football stadiums
| Stadium | City | Capacity | Tenants | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estadio Pedro Marrero | Havana | 30,000 | Cuba national football team |  |
Attendances
The average attendance per top-flight football league season and the club with the highest average attendance:
| Season | League average | Best club | Best club average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 233 | Santiago de Cuba | 417 |
Source: League page on Wikipedia