35,000 fans in Rosario kick off countdown to 2026 South American Games | OneFootball

They celebrated outdoors with Capi, the official mascot, at a festival that combined music, sports, and enthusiasm for the international event that will arrive in the province next year. "We are starting the journey to a competition that will leave us a legacy in infrastructure like no other place in Argentina," agreed Governor Pullaro and Vice Governor Scaglia.

The countdown has already begun. With 344 days left for the event, the province of Santa Fe is excited for the South American Games 2026. This Friday night, the Flag Park turned into a party: lights, music, and emotion accompanied the presentation of Capi, the official mascot who will be the great host of a historic event with 15 countries and more than 4,000 competing athletes, in the three venues: Rosario, Santa Fe, and Rafaela. With free admission, thousands of families, young people, and tourists joined a display that combined music, sports, and celebration: DJ Carrion, Sofi Gazzaniga, Bhavi, Estelares, and a Bresh Party made the more than 35,000 attendees vibrate on the Rosario night, with the postcards of the Paraná River and the illuminated Monument as a natural stage.

A legacy that transcends us

During the live broadcast of the event, which could be followed through the YouTube channel of the Provincial Government, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro emphasized that being a host implies a great investment, but that "it is worth it because sports transmit principles and values that will remain in future generations". He stressed that the resources allocated to stadiums, micro stadiums, and urban works are a milestone possible thanks to the ordering of provincial accounts, and that the Games will leave a legacy that will transcend governments and mark Santa Fe for the next decades. "Today the ball starts rolling that will lead us to live one of the biggest moments in the sports history of the province," he expressed. For her part, Vice Governor Gisela Scaglia highlighted that the competition will mark a before and after for the province, not only because of the arrival of thousands of visitors and the possibility that many Santa Fe residents shine with medals, but also because of the legacy in infrastructure: "Sport heals, saves, and teaches values of effort, perseverance, and teamwork. It is key to continue opening opportunities for boys and girls who find there a way of life and spread enthusiasm to new generations," she pointed out.

Ambassadors of values

Before the shows, the six ambassadors of the South American Games also presented themselves on stage, all outstanding references, added emotion and memories of their participation in competition: Guillermo "El Mago" Coria (tennis) spoke of inspiration for the little ones and congratulated "the governor and the vice governor, along with all the people who make a lot of effort in the three host cities". Cecilia Carranza (sailing) celebrated the union between sport and culture, Rubén Rézola (canoeing) was excited about the audience that will come; and Etel Sánchez (synchronized swimming), with the idea of sharing in her city "with those who saw me grow up with my sister, strive and compete in international tournaments". Ayelén Stepnik recalled the 25 years of the Olympic medal obtained in Sydney that added girls and boys to the practice of hockey, and swimmer Federico Grabich said that "we Santa Fe residents have to be grateful for everything that the Games will bring us and what they will leave in the three cities".

South American Games 2026

The South American Games will be held from September 12 to 26 next year. Athletes will compete in 57 disciplines representing Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Curaçao, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. For this event, the Provincial Government's investment in infrastructure amounts to 90 million dollars and aims to leave a long-term urban and sports legacy. The planned works, tendered and most of them already under construction are the Arena Multi-space of the Fair Ground, the Micro-stadium of Independence Park, the Provincial Aquatic Center and the Paseo XXI Cover, in Rosario; the Multipurpose Stadium of the High Performance Sports Center (CARD) and the Athletics Track of the CARD, in Santa Fe; the Sports Shooting Center in Recreo; and the Multipurpose Stadium Young District, the Covered Velodrome and the Regional Park Sports Area, in Rafaela. In addition, Sports Villages are being built in the three cities, with a capacity of more than 3,500 beds.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.