Raquel Peña participates in the presentation of the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

Santo Domingo, RD. – The Organizing Committee of the Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026 (COSADO) presented this Tuesday the XXV edition of the regional sporting event, in an act headed by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña. “On this third occasion, we take on this challenge with more experience, better preparation, and a firm determination: to offer games that showcase the best of our people and provide delegations from all Central American and Caribbean countries with a warm, safe, and memorable welcome,” Peña expressed.

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The vice president recalled that in 1974 the Dominican Republic hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games for the first time, and that in 1986 the city of Santiago once again became the setting for this event. “Our management, headed by President Luis Abinader, has made an unprecedented investment, allocating more than 5 billion pesos to the modernization of sports infrastructure throughout the country,” he added. As an example of that effort, he mentioned the remodeling of the Félix Sánchez Stadium, with an investment exceeding 950 million pesos, complying with FIFA’s technical requirements and making the country a venue, for the first time in history, for the Women’s Under-17 World Cup. Peña also highlighted the improvements to the José Briceño Stadium (Puerto Plata), the Tetelo Vargas Stadium (San Pedro de Macorís) and the Virgilio Travieso Soto Sports Palace, “which went from a state of disrepair to becoming modern venues, even capable of hosting NBA exhibition games, thus elevating the international projection of Dominican sports.” The presentation was held at the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame, with the attendance of the presidents and general secretaries of the Olympic committees of the 37 countries in the region. There, the progress in the works, the infrastructure projects, the planning of the competitions and the relevance that this edition will have for the country and the region were presented. According to José Monegro, President of the Organizing Committee, Santo Domingo is preparing to receive more than six thousand athletes who will compete in 483 events, corresponding to 40 sports, 56 disciplines and 63 modalities, in which 3,244 medals will be disputed. This will be the largest edition in the history of the Games. The tournament will feature a Central American and Caribbean Village, composed of 150 buildings with modern apartments that, once the event is over, will become low-cost housing for thousands of Dominican families. The competition will be held from July 24 to August 8, 2026. The Organizing Committee is also made up of Felipe Vicini (vice president), Garibaldy Bautista (second vice president), José Manuel Ramos (third vice president), Mercedes Canalda (treasurer) and, as members, the mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía; the Minister of Public Works, Eduardo Estrella; Fernando Langa; Frank Elías Rainieri; Carlos Iglesias; and the general manager of Fiduciaria Reservas, Andrés Vanderhost. With the organization of this edition, the Dominican Republic consolidates its trajectory in the history of the Central American and Caribbean Games, after having been the venue in 1974 and 1986, reaffirming its condition as a regional reference in sports and in the organization of major international events.