As the countdown to the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026 continues, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader recently led an inspection tour of upgraded sports infrastructure at the iconic Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, checking on progress of the country’s largest-ever preparations for a regional sporting event.
Official updates from the tour confirm that overall renovation work at both the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center and Parque del Este has hit the 90% completion milestone. Many key competition venues are already fully finished and ready to host athletes: table tennis, gymnastics, aquatics, archery, rowing, canoeing, and shooting facilities have all passed preliminary checks and meet international event requirements. Remaining venues, including handball, softball, combat sports, and tennis courts, as well as the main Olympic Stadium, are in advanced stages of construction and on track to be completed well ahead of the tournament’s opening.
During his inspection, Abinader emphasized that all infrastructure upgrades are being built to meet global international sports standards, designed to serve more than just the 2026 regional games. The upgraded venues will be capable of hosting top-tier international competitions long after the closing ceremony, from elite track and field championships to potential NBA exhibition matches. As an early showcase of the new facilities, the president announced a high-profile friendly basketball game between the Dominican Republic and United States men’s national teams, which will feature active NBA players and is scheduled to take place on July 4 this year.
The 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games are set to run from July 24 to August 9, and Abinader stressed that the newly renovated venues will remain a permanent public resource for Dominican athletes after the tournament concludes. Progress is also moving forward on the event’s Olympic Village, which will house competing athletes during the games: of the 1,200 planned athlete apartments, 600 have already been fully completed.
Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz noted that consistent, robust government support has been a critical factor in keeping the massive preparation project on schedule. José Monegro, president of the games’ organizing committee, added that the 2026 event will make history for the Dominican Republic: it is expected to welcome roughly 6,200 participating athletes from across the region and will feature the largest medal program in the country’s international sporting hosting history.