Cuba hopes for World Cup respite from US sabre-rattling

As Cuba crumbles under a nearly five-month-long US oil blockade, many on the island hope that the World Cup might save the island from US attack – or at least offer a respite until the competition ends on 19 July. "The beginning of the World Cup will make it more difficult for the United States to carry out a military action in Cuba," said Carlos Alzugaray, Cuba’s former ambassador to the EU.

"Cuba is very close to the US, and can hit many targets inside the US, especially in south Florida, with drones or other weapons." Seven games, including Scotland versus Brazil, will be held in Miami, a little more than 200 miles from the north coast of Cuba, and the Scottish Football Association expects 20,000 fans to travel there.

Eight nations have training camps in Florida, including England and Scotland; the first game scheduled in Miami – Uruguay versus Saudi Arabia – will be held on 15 June, and tens of thousands of fans are due to fly into the city.

Cuba, Miami, Florida

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