Cuba Secures 2027 Volleyball Nations League Spot After Finishing 16th in 2026 Edition

July 22, 2026

Cuba's men's volleyball team closed out the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 loss to Italy on July 20 in Osaka, Japan, a result that nonetheless did not keep the squad from securing its place in the 2027 edition of the tournament. Cuba took the first set 25-17 before dropping the next three (19-25, 21-25, 17-25) to an Italian side led by Yuri Romanò and Daniele Lavia.

Despite the closing defeat, Cuba finished the preliminary round in 16th place overall, a spot it locked in thanks to three consecutive wins earlier in Osaka against Belgium, Argentina and Canada. That run proved decisive in guaranteeing the team's return to the Volleyball Nations League in 2027.

In the loss to Italy, outside hitter Miguel Ángel López led Cuba's scoring with 11 points, closely followed by team captain Robertlandy Simón with 9. The 39-year-old middle blocker from Guantánamo remains one of the squad's key figures more than two decades into his career at the top level of world volleyball.

Born June 11, 1987, Simón made his national team debut in 2005 and was a silver medalist and Best Blocker at the 2010 World Championship. Over the course of his career he has played professionally in Italy, Brazil, South Korea and Qatar, and has recently combined his on-court role with recovery from a back injury as he prepares for a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament set for Canada this September.