The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin later this month.
Several of the game's top players, representing countries like the United States, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and more, are set to compete for the title of the world's best this month.
But ahead of the tournament, eight members of one team's traveling party have reportedly been denied entry into the United States.
Cuba, which has a complicated relationship with the United States, will be without eight members of its traveling party. The eight members have been denied entry into the United States.
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"The denied parties do not include any of the players on Team Cuba, which expects to be fully intact at 30-strong for this month's tournament event," the report states.
"Those affected include president of the Cuban baseball and softball federation Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, secretary general Carlos del Pino Muñoz and pitching coach Pedro Luis Lazo Iglesias, according to a statement released by the Cuban baseball federation."
The visas obtained by the Cuban team members were reportedly denied due to Section 243(d) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. The act singles out countries the Trump administration believes to be slow in compliance with immigration issues.
"Citing Section 243(d) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act as the reason disrespects the essence of sport and the inherent responsibility of its participants and places our delegation at a clear disadvantage," the federation wrote in a statement. "It is false that Cuba does not cooperate with the United States on immigration matters."
Team Cuba is scheduled to begin play later this week.
The Cuban team has exhibition games scheduled against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday and another against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.