The official countdown to the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games (CACG) begins Saturday, 11 April 2026 with a vibrant cultural ceremony in Mexico, marking the start of the torch relay toward the host city of Santo Domingo.
The symbolic journey will commence at the Teotihuacán Archaeological Park in Mexico City, featuring a performance by a troupe of cultural dancers. María José Alcalá, president of the Mexican Olympic Committee, will preside over the event, which culminates with the lighting of the flame in front of the iconic Pyramid of the Sun. This location is traditionally chosen for the “New Fire” ceremony to honor ancestral rituals and the spirit of unity among regional nations.
Much like the Olympic Flame is always lit in Olympia, Greece, to honor the ancient games, the Central American and Caribbean games often use Teotihuacán as their “Olympia.” Since 1995, it has been the permanent site for lighting the Pan American flame, and the Central American and Caribbean Games have adopted this powerful symbolism that marks the start of the celebrations for the event every four years.
The flame is scheduled to arrive in the Dominican Republic on 12 April 2026 via a private flight. Olympic medalist Gabriel Mercedes (Beijing 2008 Taekwondo silver medalist) will be responsible for handing over the “New Fire” to the authorities of Centro Caribe Sports, the organizers of the sports games.
Following its arrival, the torch will begin its domestic journey through the southern region of the Dominican Republic at the end of April. The relay is set to cover various communities, stretching from the border province of Pedernales to Baní.
The entire relay will be broadcast live 24 hours a day through the official Central American and Caribbean Games web portal. This initiative aims to increase international engagement and transparency as the flame makes its way to the capital.
The 25th Central American and Caribbean Games mark the third time the Dominican Republic has hosted this regional multisport event. The event was held in the DR in 1974 (Santo Domingo) and in 1986 (Santiago de los Caballeros).
Mexico in the Games
Mexico, together with Guatemala and Cuba, was one of the three founders of the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1926. Mexico is included because it has its Caribbean coastline. Mexico was the overall winner of the last edition (San Salvador 2023), finishing first in the medal standings with 145 gold medals.
The torch relay ceremony is based on a pre-Hispanic Aztec ritual that occurred every 52 years. The Aztecs believed that at the end of a 52-year cycle (a “century” in their calendar), the sun might not rise again. Lighting the “New Fire” symbolized the rebirth of the sun and the continuation of the world.
For the Central American and Caribbean Games (and the Pan American Games), this site was chosen to represent the shared ancestral roots and the “burning passion” of the region’s people.
Read more in Spanish:
Centro Caribe Sports
9 April 2026