Copa De La Amistad is a youth soccer tournament organized in Havana, Cuba by Aidan Pond and Cruz Mejía. The tournament brings together boys from various neighborhoods across the city for a day of competition, community, and connection.
The Tournament
The inaugural Copa De La Amistad took place on Saturday, June 14th, 2025. Forty-one boys from different neighborhoods in Havana gathered at one of Cuba’s most important futsal arenas to eat breakfast, lunch, compete, and earn medals, donated soccer equipment, and candy.
Beyond the Game
Copa De La Amistad is about more than a single tournament. Through this program, we have been able to donate soccer equipment to:
- The Women’s University Futsal and 11v11 soccer teams
- The Men’s University of Havana Filosofía, Historia, y Sociología team
- Four youth futsal teams in Havana
Support Copa De La Amistad
Every donation helps us provide meals, medals, soccer equipment, and a safe space for young players in Cuba. Your support makes the next tournament possible.
Special Thanks
We are grateful to everyone who made the 2025 tournament possible:
- Lauren Marti for helping collect donated goods from her Vienna community
- Pupi Al Forno for providing pizza for all participants
- The team at Filosofía, Historia, y Sociología for providing role models and organizing on the ground
- The staff at UH indoor courts for letting us use the space
- PJ’s Soccer for helping purchase more than 30 new soccer balls
- Carmen Paneque Contreras for hosting
- Carolina Caballero for inspiring the Cuba connection back in 2019
- Micaela Pond for teaching how to organize for good
- The youth soccer coaches in Havana who create safe spaces for kids to learn and play
Copa De La Amistad (Español)
Copa De La Amistad es un torneo de fútbol juvenil organizado en La Habana, Cuba por Aidan Pond y Cruz Mejía. El torneo reúne a niños de varios vecindarios de la ciudad para un día de competencia, comunidad y conexión.
El torneo tuvo lugar el sábado 14 de junio y 41 niños de varios vecindarios diferentes de la ciudad pudieron desayunar, almorzar, competir y ganar una medalla, equipo de fútbol donado y dulces en uno de los estadios de fútbol sala más importantes de Cuba.
También pudimos donar equipo a los equipos de fútbol sala de la Universidad Femenina y 11 contra 11, al equipo de Filosofía, Historia y Sociología de la Universidad Masculino de La Habana y a cuatro equipos de fútbol sala juvenil de La Habana.