The opening ceremony has not yet been held, but the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026 have already begun.
Not with the parade of the delegations or with the lighting of the cauldron, but with the constant movement of workers who put the finishing touches on the sports venues, the arrival of thousands of athletes to the Central American Village and a city that adjusts its transportation, security and logistics system to host the largest multi-sport event in the region.
This silent race is what the Dominican Republic is experiencing a few days after officially opening an edition of the Games that will bring together more than 5,000 athletes between July 24 and August 8.
The countdown does not wait
At the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, the main venue for the competitions, the work days continue against the clock.
Brigades of workers finish painting, conditioning and reviewing the facilities that will house disciplines such as athletics, swimming, fencing, softball, baseball, karate and chess.
The works do not respond solely to an aesthetic question. Each stage must be ready to receive international competitions that will bring together thousands of athletes, coaches, officials and fans for just over two weeks.
The investment destined for the works is around 9 billion Dominican pesos—about US$150 million—, reflecting an effort that transcends the sports organization and seeks to leave renewed infrastructure for the country.
A city converted into headquarters
Organizing the Central American Games involves much more than building or remodeling stadiums.
Each day requires coordinating transportation, accommodation, security, food, medical care and mobility for thousands of people who will live simultaneously in different parts of the country.
Therefore, while the stages receive the final touches, the operations that will allow the daily operation of the event are also advancing.
The authorities announced that public transportation – buses, subway and cable car – will be free during the Games, a measure that seeks to facilitate the movement of spectators and reduce the pressure on traffic in the Dominican capital.
Logistics thus becomes a parallel competition that is rarely observed by the public, but on which much of the success of the event depends.
The Villa already receives its protagonists
One of the most important steps in the preparation occurred on July 16, when President Luis Abinader inaugurated the Central American and Caribbean Village.
The complex has the capacity to accommodate more than 7,200 people and will be the temporary home of athletes, coaches and delegations during the competition.
Its five blocks are named after emblematic destinations in the country—Pedernales, Punta Cana, Samaná, Montecristi and Puerto Plata—a decision that also turns the Villa into a showcase to promote Dominican tourism wealth among visitors to the region.
It is not a minor detail.
Each edition of the Central American Games represents an opportunity for the host country to show its organizational capacity and project an image that transcends sports competition.
Among the delegations that will compete in Santo Domingo will be Guatemala, which will attend with 480 athletes to participate in 38 of the 40 sports on the official program.
The national representation was sworn in on July 1 and will have taekwondo player Alejandra Higueros and swimmer Erick Gordillo as flag bearers. In addition to seeking medals, the Chapina delegation will face the second stop of the Olympic cycle heading to the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.
When the calendar forces us to start earlier
Although the official opening will be this Friday, the competitive calendar did not wait.
Water polo opened competitions on Monday due to the number of matches required by the tournament, while badminton will begin this Thursday.
The scene illustrates a reality of large multi-sport events: the opening ceremony marks the symbolic start, but the sporting activity can begin several days before to comply with a program that includes 40 disciplines.
Most of these competitions will take place in Santo Domingo, although sports such as golf will travel to Punta Cana, while rowing and speed canoeing will be based in Bonao.
A country with experience and new expectations
The Dominican Republic will organize the Central American and Caribbean Games for the third time.
The previous ones were Santo Domingo 1974 and Santiago 1986.
Four decades later, the challenge is different.
Today’s sporting events demand higher standards in infrastructure, technology, security and services for athletes and spectators.
In addition to the sporting legacy, the country seeks to take advantage of the event to reinforce its image as a tourist destination and as an organizer of major international events.
This combination explains why preparation is not limited to competition scenarios, but involves practically the entire operation of the city.