- Cayman Islands Football team forfeit World Cup match in Cuba for fear of visa sanction
The Cayman Islands Mens National Football Team was riding high on the road to the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic and historic win at the weekend over visitors Antigua and Barbuda in the second round qualifiers. But hopes of actually getting through this round have now been dashed after a decision has been made not to play in Cuba. US travel restrictions pose a risk to Cayman’s players, many of whom are in college or training in the United States.
Cayman secured a fantastic win on Saturday evening at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in front of a thrilled local crowd. This was the first time the national men’s squad won a qualifying game for the World Cup, and 18-year-old Joshwa Campbell’s header during stoppage time clinched the one-nil victory.
However, Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) President Alfredo Whittaker said that despite every effort to move the game to another island, CONCACAF could not help because Cuba is entitled to a home match.
The US routinely cancels ESTA visa waivers for anyone who has travelled to Cuba. This would impact several of the national team players who are under 23, on student visas to attend college in the US and have ESTAs in their British passports. Whittaker told the Cayman Compass that the team had discussed the options and decided they could not play in Cuba and would have to forfeit the match.
“I don’t want to risk any of these boys’ ESTAs being removed or their student visas removed for one game,” the president said.
It’s a long wait until the next game. The CONCACAF qualifiers will be next June when Cayman takes on Bermuda and Honduras.
