Jubilation after Gombey Warriors secure place in final qualifying round
‘Bermuda showed incredible resilience and tactical nous’
Bermuda achieved a remarkable feat in the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, stunning hosts Cuba with a 2-1 victory in Santiago de Cuba to secure their place in the Final Qualifying Round.
With the final spots in Group A’s Second Round on the line, the stakes were incredibly high. Bermuda started brightly, stunning the home crowd by taking a 1-0 lead in just the 6th minute, with Djair Parfitt finding the back of the net. That early strike proved decisive as Bermuda held onto their narrow advantage, taking a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Cuba came out with renewed vigour in the second half, finding their equalizer in the 58th minute through Jorge Aguirre. But Bermuda showed incredible resilience and tactical nous. Substitute Reggie Lambe, on the field for just five minutes, made an immediate impact, putting Bermuda back in front with a crucial goal in the 74th minute.
Bermuda would hang on for the final 16 minutes, plus stoppage time, to claim the win. The final whistle was met with jubilation, confirming their hard-fought victory and their progression to the Final Qualifying Round of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
This is a monumental achievement for Bermudian football.
