When Covid-19 put a stop to football games around the world, the Dominican Republic was the first to reopen with international tournaments played in Santo Domingo and San Cristóbal. Several important sport events were also carried out in bubbles in Punta Cana and Santiago.
The Dominican Republic without knowing it would be earning points that led it to be the winner of a FIFA donation of US$30 million for the construction of a 100,000 square meter football complex. The complex will feature seven football fields, gyms, administrative offices, and accommodations. The site is yet to be chosen. Locations in the east of the country and central Santiago are being considered.
Diario Libre reports that to put the donation in perspective, the Miami Marlins training academy in the Dominican Republic inaugurated in October 2023 cost US$15 million.
Diario Libre reports that 41 regional federations were after being awarded the site. The North, Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation announced the Dominican Republic was the winner on Saturday, 25 February 2023 during the 38th Concacaf Congress held in Antigua, Guatemala.
In addition to its resilience during Covid, the DR also got points as a location where the government offered tax incentives. The central geographic position and an abundance of air connections and lodging helped the judges decide in favor of the Dominican Republic.
Ruben García, president of the Dominican Football Federation, told Diario Libre that the new facility will have a major impact on sports tourism, the local hotel industry and the sport itself. He said that locations in the East are considered because of the excellent air connectivity of Punta Cana International Airport. Santiago in the Cibao is a candidate because it was where the sport got its start and has the most following.
The first major International Football Federation (FIFA) investment in the country was the building of the facilities in San Cristóbal (Proyecto Goal), an investment of US$2 million.
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Diario Libre
8 March 2023