USA holds off Cuba to win its pool at NORCECA Championship

MONCTON, Canada, September 13, 2026: USA defeated Cuba today to top Pool B of the NORCECA Men’s Championship at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Cuba started out with a lot of energy and pressure to win the first set, but it wasn’t enough to control USA as they found their rhythm. USA won 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-14).

It was an exciting match for the fans – overall, USA led in attack points 51-40, but blocks and aces were all even at nine apiece. The U.S. gained 25 points from Cuba’s errors, compared with 22.

USA’s Jake Hanes led all scoring with 27 points (23 kills, 4 blocks). Cuba’s Alejandro González Rodríguez again led his team with 15 points.

Eight teams are in Moncton, Canada, for the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, where three berths to the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup in Poland will be at stake. The tournament will also determine the teams that advance to NORCECA’s final qualification stage (Sept. 18 and 19) that will earn one team a berth to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. USA is already qualified as host of the LA 28 Games.

USA goes directly to the NORCECA Championship semifinals, and Cuba plays in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.

USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly : “The first few plays we were playing very well, but then all of a sudden, Cuba really turned it on and decisively won the first set. I’m impressed that our team got better with each set and each play to where we had a win at the end and have earned a rest day for tomorrow. Having that day off is always nice in the format of this tournament.”

Team Captain/setter of USA, Micah Maʻa:  “We know that Cuba has been playing really good volleyball; they are a good team. Luckily, we found a little bit more of our rhythm and we stayed with them. We tried to keep it close and compete and waited for our chances, and it worked out in the end.”