Four Cuban players are believed to have sought political asylum after they disappeared without boarding a plane after their first match at the Copa America. Reports indicate that in 2023 alone, 30 elite Cuban athletes have sought political asylum in other countries through overseas competitions.
Cuba has been placed in Group D of this year's Gold Cup, together with Canada, Guatemala and Guadeloupe. Cuba's first group match was a 0-1 defeat against Guatemala in Florida. After the match, the team had to take a plane from Miami to Houston to prepare for the second group match against Canada, but the four players were not seen until the plane took off. The Cuban journalists who accompanied the team estimated that the four players were seeking political asylum in the United States. According to statistics, a total of 55 Cuban soccer players have defected to the United States since 1999.
