Santo Domingo.- With an impressive opening ceremony featuring a display of lights and the use of technology, and the presence of hundreds of guests and national and international athletes, President Luis Abinader, together with Vice President Raquel Peña and First Lady Raquel Arbaje, officially inaugurated the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, which are taking place from this July 24th to Saturday, August 8th.
For a little over two hours, the event, held at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, commemorated the centenary of these games by recalling a century of history, paying tribute to Dominican identity, and celebrating the cultural diversity of Central America and the Caribbean.
In that same scenario, the traditional parade of the participating delegations took place.
“The true triumph of sport consists in learning to respect the adversary and respect the merit of others,” noted the president of the Organizing Committee for the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, José Monegro, who also highlighted the power of sport to unite the nation, above all differences, around a common purpose.
In this regard, Monegro and the president of Centro Caribe Sports, Luisín Mejía, thanked President Abinader for taking on the project as a priority and guaranteeing the political, institutional, and financial support to make this moment a reality, and likewise, former presidents Danilo Medina, Leonel Fernández, and Hipólito Mejía, who supported the project to ensure its success.
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A total of 40 sports and 56 disciplines make the country, for the third time and over the next two weeks, the host of the most important multi-sport event in the region and, furthermore, the oldest in the world after the Olympic Games. The first occasions were Santo Domingo 1974 and Santiago 1986.
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New sports facilities, others completely renovated, and the delivery of the Central American and Caribbean Village where visiting delegations will stay, demonstrate the Dominican Republic’s commitment to excellence for the celebration of these competitions, in which more than 6,200 athletes from 37 countries and territories are participating.
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For their benefit and that of officials, journalists, and visitors, an integral system was designed that includes transportation, food, accommodation, security, medical care, accreditation, technology, telecommunications, and services.
Headquarters
Distributed across 46 official facilities, the competitions will take place in Greater Santo Domingo, Baní, Bonao, Cabarete, La Vega, Moca, Punta Cana, and Santiago.
In Greater Santo Domingo, the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center and the Parque del Este showcase modern sports infrastructure that meets international standards, in an effort promoted by the Government to also build a legacy that allows for the continued practice of sports and the preparation of new generations in top-tier facilities.
Preparation of Dominican athletes
The Government’s commitment was not limited to the adaptation of sports facilities, but an historic investment of approximately RD 890 million was also made for the preparation of athletes, increasing the opportunities to win medals and raise the flag high.
Opening ceremony
The ceremony featured three simultaneous stages, more than 30,000 LED badges, a large-format laser show, and 1,100 drones that illuminated the sky. National and international artists also participated, along with more than 900 dancers, the 83 musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra, and the 45 voices of the Dominican National Choir, conducted by maestro José Antonio Molina.
