Cuba soccer player refuses to play for his country amid fears he won’t be allowed back in the United States

By JAKE FENNER

As Donald Trump’s policies on immigration and the border continue to cause chaos across the country, professional athletes are in fear that they cannot return to their homes if they wish to play in the United States.

According to James Nalton of the Morning Star, Raiko Arozarena – the brother of Seattle Mariners star Randy Arozarena – did not travel to his native Cuba to take part in a CONCACAF qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Raiko, who is a goalkeeper playing for Las Vegas Lights FC in the USL Championship, didn’t make the journey out of fear that he wouldn’t be allowed back into the United States if he took part in the match.

Trump instituted full travel bans for 12 countries while also placing heightened restrictions on seven others – including Cuba.

Las Vegas Lights FC and the USL did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com at the time of publishing.

With Arozarena not on the roster, Cuba lost their final game of qualifying 2-1 to Bermuda – eliminating them from the World Cup by one point.

Cuba goalie Raiko Arozarena didn’t travel for his nation’s World Cup qualifying match

Arozarena feared he wouldn’t return to the US due to Donald Trump’s immigration policies

Arozarena plays for Las Vegas Lights FC – a club competing in the USL Championship

Earlier in this same window, the Cayman Islands – playing in the same qualifying group as Cuba – forfeited their match against the Cubans to avoid traveling to the country.

There was fear that if players from the Cayman Islands – an overseas territory of the UK – traveled to the country, that they would not be able to return to the United States.

A statement from the Cuban FA (via Nalton) read: ‘Arozarena’s actions demonstrate how much the climate of uncertainty and pressure generated by these [US government] measures and campaigns orchestrated in this regard threaten sport.’

Among the nations who have been issued full bans, the USL Championship has one player from the Republic of the Congo, two players from Somalia, and seven from Haiti.

Regarding those with heightened restrictions, there are five players from Cuba (including Arozarena), one from Burundi, three from Sierra Leone, and five from Venezuela.

Currently, Las Vegas is tenth in the USL Western Conference standings – with 12 points in 12 matches and is on a four match losing streak.

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Cuba soccer player refuses to play for his country amid fears he won’t be allowed back in the United States

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