The opening ceremony will mark the start of a regional sporting festival bringing together 37 countries, 40 sports, and thousands of athletes; authorities are urging participants to plan their arrival and use designated routes
SANTO DOMINGO. – The country becomes the sports center of the Caribbean this Friday with the inauguration of the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, an event that for 16 days will bring together the main delegations of the region in a competition that combines sport, culture and international projection for the country.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, the main venue for the inaugural event, according to the Organizing Committee of the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.
The sporting competition, which will run until August 8, will feature the participation of Central American and Caribbean delegations competing in 40 sports and 56 disciplines, distributed across different venues throughout the country.
A city ready to host the Games
From the early hours of this Friday, Santo Domingo begins the mobilization of athletes, coaches, volunteers, authorities and fans who will participate in the opening day and the first competitions of the official calendar.
The Organizing Committee reported that the official Games platform has an interactive map with the venues, disciplines and locations where the competitions will take place, allowing attendees to plan their travel.
The venues are organized in different strategic zones, including the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, considered the main sports complex of the event; the East Park, in addition to facilities located in Santo Domingo and other provinces of the country.
What time does the sports day start?
Although the opening ceremony will be the main event this Friday, the sporting competitions begin in the morning.
According to the official schedule published by JCC Santo Domingo 2026, the day's program includes activities starting at 7:00 a.m., with water polo matches at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, as well as badminton, tennis and archery competitions starting at 9:00 a.m. at venues such as Parque del Este.
The day will continue throughout with preliminary and qualifying matches in various disciplines, formally kicking off the competitive activity of the Games.
Recommendations for attending the opening
Authorities have urged attendees to arrive with ample time due to the expected influx of people in the vicinity of the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium and the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.
As part of the mobility operation arranged for the event, citizens are advised to use public transportation, consult the available routes and comply with the established traffic regulations to facilitate circulation during the inauguration and the sporting events.
The organization also made official digital tools available to check schedules, venues, results and news of the event through the Santo Domingo 2026 application.
The Games map: where the action will be
The competition will take place at different sports venues:
The Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Centre
will be one of the main venues for the event and will host a large part of the sporting disciplines.
Parque del Este
will host competitions in various disciplines, including tennis, badminton and archery during the first few days.
Metropolitan Area
Includes facilities in Greater Santo Domingo, Baní and San Cristóbal, where competitions will be held in multiple venues.
The North Zone and East Zone
are also part of the official map of venues, expanding the territorial reach of the event.
