Havana, December 5 (RHC) – Cuba will be represented at the UNCAF FIFA Forward U-19 Tournament in Panama 2025.
Despite not being a member of the Central American Football Union (UNCAF), Cuba received an invitation along with Puerto Rico, and both will complete the eight-team field divided into two groups.
The Cubans will play in Group A, which also includes Honduras, Nicaragua, and the host country.
Group B will feature Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico.
This event will be played from December 5 to 11 at Yappy Park and COS Sports Plaza stadiums in Panama City.
The Cuban team will begin play this Friday, December 5, against the host nation, followed by a match against Honduras on Sunday, December 7. It will close out the preliminary round on Tuesday, December 9, against Nicaragua.
On December 11, the top two teams from each group will compete for the tournament title, while the second-place teams will play for the bronze medal.
The two third-place teams will compete for fifth place, and the fourth-place teams will compete to avoid last place.
The Tricolor team, already at the tournament venue, will be coached by Pedro Pablo Pereira and includes goalkeepers Yurixander Zayas and Camilo Díaz.
The defense consists of Jennier Batista, Leandro García Lavandera, Kevin Hernández, Yeasy Quiñones, and Jaddiel Jesús Ricardo.
The midfield is composed of Cristian Bravo, Carlos Manuel González, José Daniel Pérez, Didier Reinoso, Brian Alejandro Torres, Enzo Viamontes, and Robert Zerquera.
The attack features Lázaro Díaz, Rainier Morales, Pedro Brayan Ortiz, Yansiel Reinoso, Alexandro Makence, and Cristian Jesús Roseaux.
This event will serve as preparation for the Cubans to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026 and to begin the qualifying route for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027, hosted in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
