President Luis Abinader officially inaugurated the Central American and Caribbean Games Athletes Village on Thursday, saying the Dominican capital is ready to host nearly 6,000 athletes who will compete in the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026.
Located in Ciudad Juan Bosch, a large residential development in Santo Domingo East, the complex will accommodate athletes and officials throughout the competition, one of the Caribbean and Central America’s most important sporting events.
Modern Facilities Ready to Welcome Delegations
During a tour of the newly opened complex, Abinader visited the Welcome Center, residential accommodations, a gymnasium, dining facilities, a supermarket and other services that will begin receiving participating delegations starting Friday.
The Athletes Village includes 1,200 apartments spread across 150 buildings, providing housing and support services designed to meet the needs of thousands of competitors throughout the Games.
“This is one of the infrastructures best prepared for the Games. Everything is ready here, with first-class facilities,” the president said while inspecting the complex.
Officials Highlight Preparations for Regional Sporting Event
Joining the president at the inauguration were José P. Monegro, president of the Santo Domingo 2026 Organizing Committee; Luis Mejía Oviedo, president of Centro Caribe Sports, the regional governing body for the Games; Dio Astacio, mayor of Santo Domingo East; Garibaldy Bautista, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee; and César Heredia, governor of the Athletes Village.
The Central American and Caribbean Games are the oldest continuing regional multi-sport event in the Americas and bring together athletes from countries across Central America and the Caribbean. Hosting the competition is considered a significant opportunity for the Dominican Republic to showcase its sporting infrastructure and organizational capacity.
Expected Impact Beyond Sports
Abinader expressed confidence that Santo Domingo will deliver a memorable edition of the Games for both local spectators and visiting delegations.
The president also emphasized the event’s potential economic and tourism benefits, encouraging Dominicans to attend competitions and support the athletes. “These Games will have an impact on tourism, but I also ask Dominicans to attend, enjoy their athletes and all the competitions. I feel very happy, proud and honored to be one of the hosts,” he said.
The official opening of the Athletes Village represents one of the final milestones before athletes begin arriving, signaling that Santo Domingo is entering the last stage of preparations for the regional sporting event.