< Back to all clusters
[SPORTS] · Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico · 100 sources

Santo Domingo kicks off 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games with historic opening ceremony

The XXV Central American and Caribbean Games opened in Santo Domingo on 24 July 2026 with a 90‑minute, technology‑laden ceremony featuring drones, LED badges, laser shows and three simultaneous stages. The event runs until 8 August and brings together more than 6,200 athletes from 37 countries to compete in 40 sports and 56 disciplines.

The Dominican Republic has invested roughly US$154 million (RD$9 billion) in venues, including a refurbished track at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium. Regional airlines such as Sky High Dominicana are transporting over 1,400 athletes from the Caribbean, while host nation officials highlighted the participation of Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and other local stars.

Mexico leads the medal table with a delegation of 636 athletes, and Cuba, Puerto Rico and other nations are already contesting water‑polo, badminton, tennis and taekwondo. The Games also honoured former Cuban sprinter Alberto Juantorena with the “Athlete of the Century” award, underscoring the event’s role as a showcase of Caribbean and Central American sport.

Sources

3 days ago
2 days ago
3 days ago
3 days ago
4 days ago
3 days ago