“We look forward to an exciting event, with thrilling matches,” said Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV) President Dr. César Trabanco. After all, the 2025 NORCECA Women’s Final Four tournament is a big deal as the defending champions have become hosts. Unfortunately, with just days left until kickoff, new U.S. VISA regulations just threw a wrench in the works.

You see, the Cuban women’s national team was supposed to open the tournament vs. Mexico, on July 18 at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum. However, visa restrictions, which became effective in early June, resulted in visa denials for the entire Cuban team. “The disappointment is huge because I train every day, every hour of training is leading up to this and dedicate myself to it,” said national team player Laura Suarez. Yet, the repercussions don’t end here.

The Associated Press reported that the Cuban Women’s National Volleyball Team declared it wouldn’t be able to participate. When you look at the bigger picture, things only get worse. The Cuban team’s volleyball Coach Wilfredo Robinson explained that not competing at the NORCECA Women’s Final Four only makes it harder for them to earn a Volleyball Nations League qualification.

“The competition grants points for each match, and at the end it all adds up,” Coach Robinson told the Associated Press. The visa regulations put Cuba on the list of countries facing “heightened restrictions,” and the team couldn’t circumvent them. Their exclusion from the 2025 NORCECA tournament puts even more pressure on the next contest in September, and that might not even be enough.

“In September, we have another tournament, and if we get there needing to achieve 80 or 100 points, we are not going to be able to do it,” coach Wilfredo Robinson explained. Another Cuban volleyball player, Dayana Martínez, revealed the heartbreak of coming so close only to get denied. “That competition gives us points to improve our ranking,” she added. And it’s already clear that Cuba is taking the VNL seriously.

The Cuban volleyball team is already proving itself on the VNL stage

The fact that the women’s team won’t be able to compete in the 2025 NORCECA Women’s Final Four is an even bigger blow because they hoped to follow the men’s team’s path. That’s because the Cuban men’s team has qualified for this year’s Volleyball Nations League, which is being broadcast directly in the US, and is playing against 17 other nations in the ongoing contest. But wait, there’s more.

You see, this is the men’s team’s third straight year at the VNL, and they aren’t just there to take part. After victories against teams like Germany, Croatia, and France, they are sitting at the 9th place out of the 18 teams in the tournament. Ranked 12th in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Ranking, the men’s team is there to prove that they are constantly growing and evolving.

As per FIVB, their 2023, CHF 12,000, volleyball empowerment program, which gave the team six months of coaching support, helped them make significant “technical” progress. Unfortunately, the women’s team’s missed opportunity to do the same against Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Costa Rica is a major setback. One, they might not recover from this year. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.