The closing ceremony took place at the Arena Roberto Durán after 14 days of competition and with close to 2,000 athletes involved. In that final act, the Games’ general director, Anamae Orillac, summed up the tone the organisers wanted to give the closing: “Here, they did not only compete, they inspired.” In her speech, she added that what had been experienced in Panama should not be read as an end point, but as “the beginning of something much bigger”, an idea that fits with the narrative of legacy and continuity the country has sought to attach to the event.

A closing built around legacy and projection

That same approach also appeared in the institutional reading of ODESUR. The organisation’s vice-president, Mario Moccia, thanked the Panamanian government, the national and municipal authorities, and the country as a whole for the support given to Games that, because of their timetable and organisational demands, represented a significant challenge. “Panama has not only hosted these Games, it has been the protagonist of a true celebration of sport and youth,” said the Argentine official, also underlining the role of the local public and the structure built around the event.

The idea of legacy did not rest only on speeches. Panama 2026 left the image of a country capable of delivering a major regional event, with venues, village, ceremonies and daily operations in a high-demand environment. In that sense, the closing of the Games was also read as a test successfully passed by a sports system that needed a reference point of this kind, both for its external projection and for its own organisational confidence.

Brazil topped the medal table and Panama produced its best performance

In strictly sporting terms, Brazil once again finished the Games at the top of the medal table, for the fourth consecutive edition, with 157 medals: 58 gold, 51 silver and 48 bronze. Venezuela finished second with its best-ever performance in the event, with 83 medals, while Argentina took third place. One of the most striking statistics was that Colombia finished outside the top three for the first time in the short history of the South American Youth Games.

For Panama, the competitive balance was also especially significant. The host nation ended the Games with 29 medals, including 6 golds, its best-ever total both in overall medals and in titles at this event. That figure added a second layer to the organisational success: alongside delivering the tournament, Panama also improved its sporting performance at home in a visible way.

Volunteers, the final atmosphere and a bid already under way

Another of the most highlighted elements at the close was the role of the volunteers. The organisers recognised the work of around 2,000 people who took part in the day-to-day running of the event, from supporting delegations to operating venues and ceremonies. That recognition matched the atmosphere of the closing ceremony at the Arena Roberto Durán, where there was also room for musical performances and a farewell shaped by the festive and friendly tone Panama wanted to give the Games.

The next step is no longer presented merely as a vague aspiration. Panama City is among the candidate cities to host the III Junior Pan American Games in 2029, together with Rosario and Guatemala City. That bid reinforces the idea that Panama wants to turn the momentum of the South American Youth Games into a platform for continuity within continental sport and into a base from which to take on organisational challenges of even greater scale.

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From a sporting perspective, this youth competition left several high points, but also some low ones that raise concern about the future development of athletes aiming for major results and long-term prominence.

High points

Combat sports continue their rise as a key strength for Panama in multi-sport events, now with a new generation of athletes following the path paved by those who have already made their mark at both the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games.

Yumaira Russell and Aisha Williams won gold medals in the 65kg and 73kg divisions respectively in wrestling, which contributed five medals overall.

In boxing, the impressive performance of Norman Simmons in the 90kg division placed Panama at the top of the podium in a sport that added three medals.

Fencing, while not a combat sport based solely on physical skills, also saw the triumph of Panamanian épée fencer Caleb Caldito Chan, who delivered dominant victories on his path to gold.

Sports such as taekwondo and karate came close to gold, but still contributed five medals each to the tally. In taekwondo, Natalia Pérez, one of Panama’s young prospects in the sport, earned silver after falling in the -44kg kyorugi final to Poliana Silva of Brazil. In karate, flag bearer Dessire Frías in the -53kg category and Isabel Mendoza in the -59kg division also reached their respective finals after impressive performances, though both were defeated in the title bouts.

Artistic gymnastics remains one of Panama’s strongest sports, thanks to the success of Hillary Heron and Karla Navas. At these South American Youth Games, their leading young representative Aylin Goon Lan reached the podium with bronze in the balance beam event.

Team sports also delivered more than respectable performances, with flag football – set to debut as an Olympic sport at Los Angeles 2028 – standing out the most after a dominant gold medal run in the women’s competition and a silver medal finish in the men’s division.

Baseball was not far behind, winning gold, followed by the men’s 3×3 basketball team, where Panama was not among the favorites but still eliminated teams such as Argentina before defeating Venezuela for the bronze medal in a revenge result from the round-robin stage.

Men’s football salvaged a bronze medal in a difficult tournament that saw Panama face Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia.

Low points

The host nation was left with the major disappointment of failing to win a medal in athletics, one of the disciplines in which Panama has historically excelled, as shown by Olympic performances from the legendary Lloyd LaBeach and Irving Saladino, Panama’s only Olympic champion.

But what is being done to carry on the legacy of figures such as Alonso Edward and Gianna Woodruff? That is one of the major questions surrounding a sport that has lacked solid development projects and support.

Failing to win even one medal in athletics is one of the main issues that must be addressed, with the first step being the definition of a work plan alongside the country’s athletics federation to analyze the barriers preventing stronger results.

Swimming also fell short, with Raúl Antadillas standing as the main exception after winning bronze in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 50m breaststroke.

Antadillas, together with Emily Santos – the second-youngest Panamanian athlete ever to compete at the Olympic Games – now emerges as one of the sport’s leading figures in Panama, following in the footsteps of great names such as Édgar Crespo and Eileen Coparropa.

Today, Panama has more swimming pools that have been renovated to meet requirements somewhat closer to international standards, but the number of swimmers standing out beyond Central America remains low in terms of results.

Futsal also ran into a very different competitive reality, as Panama failed to reach the podium in either category.

Panama, a nation that has appeared in multiple men’s Futsal World Cups and was a pioneer in the recent women’s futsal world championship, did not achieve positive results, largely due to the lack of regulation-standard courts for the sport, something that had previously been overcome even at senior national team level to the point of winning a Concacaf championship.

However, the level in South America, as in other countries across the continent, has continued to rise not only because of better playing facilities, but also because of the different development projects that have strengthened the sport.

In the end, Panama closed the South American Youth Games with a total of 29 medals – six gold, six silver and seventeen bronze – but also with a clearer perspective of its sporting reality, one that in the coming months will reveal how many initiatives will truly be put in place at the leadership level for stronger long-term development.

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Baseball was one of the sports played on the closing day of the South American Youth Games, and Panama only needed one final step to meet expectations, achieving it against Colombia, a country that in recent years has challenged Panama in different categories and even earned victories of its own.

This time, Panama was not willing to settle for anything less than gold, and it was a particularly meaningful one not only because of what baseball represents in the country, but also because it marked the sixth gold medal, allowing Panama to surpass its previous best number of first-place finishes in the short history of its participation in the event.

The Panamanian team secured a 2-0 victory over Colombia at the historic yet renovated Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Stadium, a venue that has hosted major events including the IV Central American and Caribbean Games in 1938, as well as world title boxing bouts and even football matches played by Panama’s national team in past decades.

The baseball final unfolded very differently from the first meeting between the two teams during the round-robin stage of these Games, where Panama had cruised to a commanding 10-2 win.

This time, it was through the outstanding work of starting pitcher Abel Rodríguez, who silenced the opposing offense for seven innings, and the timely appearance of Luis Aranda with a two-run home run, that Panama was able to secure the outcome in its favor and claim the gold medal.

The date was especially meaningful for Rodríguez as it coincided with his birthday, and as part of this roster he was joined by teammates from his provincial team, Panamá Oeste, who had coincidentally been crowned Panama’s youth champions just a few months earlier, arriving with that same ambition alongside the rest of the squad.

Aranda, also Rodríguez’s teammate in national championships and the recent national tournament’s Most Valuable Player, made the difference when it was needed most. “I hadn’t been having the offensive performance I wanted, but it came at the right moment. Thank God things worked out well, we always came ready to give everything for the team,” said the author of the two-run home run in the second inning, who also described this year as unforgettable.

The young Panamanians were led by Adolfo Rivera and his coaching staff, a well-known figure in national baseball who, after his playing career, has continued building his path as a manager.

“The work was done, the boys trusted what you give them from day one, the confidence to play baseball. If you give them that, they will play for you, they will give you 100%, and we achieved that goal,” said the coach, who was also a national champion at the U23 level.

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In an exclusive interview with SportsIn, Cuen looked back on that decisive moment and explained how she moved from tension to victory in her international debut. Her win was also part of Venezuela’s dominance in weightlifting at the Games, where the delegation claimed ten medals, six of them gold, with titles for Arianye Echandia, Franlys Gutiérrez, Lidysmar Aparicio, Esmeralda Herrera, Cuen herself and David Linares.

A snatch on the edge and a decisive third attempt

Before her event, Venezuela had already celebrated David Linares’ gold in the 65kg category and Arianye Echandia’s in the 53kg, while Osneiber Pirona had added a bronze in the 71kg. Cuen stepped onto the platform with the feeling that she did not want to break that sequence of podium finishes. “This was new for me. Representing Venezuela, I felt a bit of pressure, not from the other competitors, but from myself. Because my other teammates had won gold, so I had to go for the same. I did it, I changed the script, I had to wake up,” she said.

The emotional burden grew when she failed twice at 77kg in the snatch and found herself on the verge of an early exit from the medal race. At that point, she had to stop the anxiety and rebuild herself in the middle of competition. “I had to calm down, enjoy the competition and trust myself a bit more,” explained the athlete, who ended the moment in tears after making that third attempt that kept her whole event alive.

The roots of a champion in Zulia

Cuen is from Zulia, in Venezuela, and her path into sport was shaped by her father. In the interview with SportsIn, she explained that the original push came from home, not only as an invitation to compete, but also as a way of projecting onto her a path that her family had not been able to complete themselves. “My dad always wanted to be an athlete. He didn’t achieve it, but he saw in me a daughter who could become a great athlete. He guided me into sport, not into weightlifting, but I could choose, and I chose weightlifting because it matches my character, I’m very strong. My dad has helped me a lot and I’m proud of myself too,” she said.

That background helps explain why weightlifting suited the way she competes. More than a casual choice, it appears in her account as a discipline tied to her personality, to the strength she identifies in herself and to the family support that sustained her from the start. In Panama, that earlier story was compressed into an event that forced her to hold on just when she seemed to be running out of room.

From the edge of the podium to gold in a competition that turned around

For much of the contest, Colombia’s Laura Rivas, Ecuador’s Marely Lara and Brazil’s Laura Pereira de Souza appeared to be moving more securely towards the podium, while concern was growing on the Venezuelan side. But Cuen’s successful snatch attempt changed the script. From there, the Venezuelan put together three successful clean and jerk lifts and climbed back to finish the competition with a total of 176kg, divided into 77kg in the snatch and 99kg in the clean and jerk.

“It was something where maybe they got overconfident, but I went all in, I gave everything and I’m going to keep giving everything,” she said. The victory also had an effect on her that went beyond the result.“I proved a lot of people wrong, even myself, because I’m shocked. This competition was unbelievably good,” said the lifter from Zulia, who acknowledged that before arriving in Panama there had not been many expectations around her chances.

Weightlifting receives essential support in Venezuela

In the final part of the interview, Cuen also linked Venezuela’s success in weightlifting to the support received from the country’s sports authorities and technical structure. “The sports minister has worked enormously with us, we’ve done a lot of work with the coaches, all those people who support us back in Venezuela. Everything has improved so much in weightlifting and in other sports too, but I feel we have worked to win this and many more,” she said.

Her gold in Panama was therefore tied to a double reading: that of a competition she rescued at the last moment, and that of a broader process of growth within Venezuelan weightlifting. After turning a third attempt into the starting point of her victory, Cuen is already setting her next target on preparation for the World Weightlifting Championships.

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In an interview with SportsIn, Moccia not only analyzed Argentina’s performance but also focused on the process behind each athlete. Drawing from his experience in multi-sport events—including his role at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games—he praised Panama’s organization, highlighting its ability to stage the Games in a short period of time. Beyond the event itself, his reflection centers on how these scenarios allow countries to measure, project, and understand their true position in the development of youth talent.

Planning as the foundation of sporting growth

Sporting success in Argentina is far from improvised. Moccia explained that the work is built on a structure aimed at federalizing sport, integrating all provinces under a unified development logic. This approach not only seeks to identify talent but also to create the conditions for that talent to evolve in different contexts, with tools adapted to each reality.

Continuity in leadership has been key to sustaining this model. After being re-elected as head of the Argentine Olympic Committee, he emphasized the need to consolidate progress while also innovating with initiatives that strengthen federations. Along this path, the challenge is not only competitive but also organizational: raising management standards to support sporting growth.

The value of the Games in the formative stage

The South American Youth Games represent a turning point in many athletes’ careers. For Moccia, this category sits at an intermediate stage, where the focus is not exclusively on results, but on the development process and the ability to compete against other countries. It is a space where pathways toward high performance begin to take shape.

In this sense, Argentina’s evaluation in these competitions goes beyond the medal table. It involves building a diagnosis that helps adjust future planning, with a view toward events such as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games or the Junior Pan American Games. Each performance becomes a key piece in understanding the level achieved and projecting the next steps.

Sport as a way of life

Beyond high performance, Moccia insists on a central idea: sport must be a way of life for all young people. Not everyone will reach the elite, but everyone can find in physical activity a tool for personal development, health, and social integration. This perspective broadens the scope of the sports system, giving it a more inclusive and formative meaning.

In Argentina, this philosophy is reflected in annual plans designed by each federation, with competitions, training camps, and programs aimed at sustaining participation. The diversity of pathways—from high performance to recreational practice—reflects a broader understanding of sport, where success is not measured only in medals, but also in its impact on people’s lives.

Initiatives and structural support for Argentine sport

The growth of Argentine sport has also been supported by institutions such as the Secretariat of Sport and the National High Performance Sports Entity (ENARD). Through scholarships, funding, and technical support, these entities have enabled athletes and coaches to access better conditions to compete and develop.

This is complemented by initiatives that aim to bring sport closer to the community and strengthen domestic competition, such as the Olympic Beach or the Argentine High Performance Games (JADAR). These proposals not only expand the participation base but also create spaces where talent can emerge from different regions, consolidating a system that understands sport as a cultural, social, and strategic phenomenon.

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Since the age of 11 months, Vallim developed a connection with swimming in his native Minas Gerais. From there, he progressed into competitive sport within prestigious institutions such as Minas Tenis Clube, standing out in regional events before earning a place in the national youth team. That journey has now led to international success, including his achievements in Panama. “I’m very happy with my results, I feel very satisfied with what I’ve been able to achieve here,” he admitted.

The example of César Cielo

His performances also took him to the Junior World Championships in Romania 2025, and at these South American Games he met his goals against top-level competitors, including fellow Brazilians such as Kaua Santos, Arthur Werner and Celso Ferreira, all of whom contributed to Brazil’s dominance.

Performances like Vallim’s naturally evoke comparisons with some of Brazil’s great swimmers, such as César Cielo, an Olympic champion and medallist. However, Vallim does not feel additional pressure beyond his own ambitions, even as he draws inspiration from the Olympic legend. “I wouldn’t say it adds pressure, but I do see César Cielo as a great example of high performance in Brazil,” said the 18-year-old. “I know Brazil has a strong base, especially in sprints, but nowadays we’re seeing more medley swimmers, many in butterfly, and I think that’s amazing,” Vallim added.

With these records and such a strong start, Vallim already has ambitions that go beyond his current category, although he remains focused on progressing step by step. “I’m aiming for the Olympic Games, and I think that’s my main goal. But I understand I need to achieve smaller objectives first, because it’s important to go step by step rather than aiming directly at the final goal, as that could lead to disappointment. Yes, I aspire to the Olympic Games and I hope I can get there.”

Music to celebrate his favourite record

Vallim won and set individual records in the 200m individual medley, 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 200m backstroke. “I think the mark that excited me the most was in the 200m individual medley because I repeated 2:01, it ended up being 2:01.38,” he highlighted, while also praising the collective effort in relay events, where he was pleased to come close to breaking the 54-second barrier.

Outside the pool, “apart from swimming, I like playing instruments like the guitar and the piano, which I also love. It’s something I’ve done since I was a child,” revealed Vallim, who also enjoys playing billiards. Now it’s time to celebrate, turning up the music.

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In an exclusive interview with SportsIn, Raquel Pasos, director of services for the South American Youth Games, explained how that idea has been translated into different elements of the event. The organisers have wanted Panama to express itself through these Games in very concrete pieces, from the institutional image to details such as the ceramic tray on which the medals are carried before they are placed around the necks of the athletes who reach the podium.

Antón and Panamanian nature as a calling card

One of the clearest examples is Antón, the official mascot of the Games, a Panamanian golden frog that refers to one of the country’s most recognisable species. The Panamanian golden frog has also been presented by Panam Sports as a symbol of biodiversity, youth and South American unity, within a visual narrative that connects the event to the natural heritage of the host country.

Pasos explained that this identity has been incorporated into a wide range of elements used throughout the Games. “Panama is really present in different elements, for example in the pins we hand out with our golden frog, our Antón, the mascot of these Games. We also have different gifts, such as Panamanian chocolates with various images of the Games, both the Games logo and the butterflies represented within the logo itself, and on the box there is also a representation of Antón and different cultural elements of Panama. These are the kinds of elements that allow athletes to remember us for our essence, which is obviously part of Panamanian culture,” she explained.

Panamanian craftsmanship in medals, statuettes and keepsakes

That commitment to identity also reaches the objects that remain as tangible memories of Panama 2026. The mascot is not only available as a plush toy for visitors and local audiences, but is also given to medallists as a wooden statuette, a decision through which the organisers sought to distinguish the official keepsake of the event and link it directly to Panamanian craftsmanship.

“We wanted to take it to another level, as our motto says, by delivering something that was truly produced by Panamanian hands. That is why this cedar wood statuette was a very important element for us to have within the Games, both to differentiate ourselves and, above all, to create that memory of our culture, which is important for us to project at South American level and hopefully, at other times, at an even higher level,” Pasos said.

The production of these pieces was also part of a broader process of local craftsmanship. Ilsa Bernal, marketing manager of Artesanos de Panamá, explained that the statuette was carved by hand by an artisan from the province of Darién, together with his family and people close to him, as part of a production of 1,600 pieces. This was accompanied by a public call that, after four months of reviewing proposals and talent, led to the selection of more than 30 Panamanian artists to produce both these wooden statuettes and the ceramic tray used to carry the medals, as well as other versions of Antón intended exclusively for medal-winning athletes.

A country-wide event supported by culture, the airport and the South American Village

The cultural dimension of the Games is not limited to official objects. Pasos explained that different public institutions have become involved in the project to strengthen this presentation of the country from the moment delegations arrive. Among them is the Ministry of Culture, which has supported the organisers in welcome activities at the airport and in spaces such as the South American Village and the FanFest, within the logic of a “country-wide event” that seeks to extend Panamanian identity across the full Games experience. The wider structure of Panama 2026 includes a South American Village and an organisational model that Panam Sports has linked to the event’s legacy and international projection.

“This is a country-wide event, and for us it has been extremely important to bring in different government institutions that have supported us, such as the Ministry of Culture, which helps us every day with the welcome at the airport, with moments of cultural display inside the South American Village, right now in the FanFest, and this has happened at different moments throughout the Games and in fact even before the Games. We are very grateful for the support that the different government institutions have given us with this project,” Pasos concluded.

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The sporting event – which concludes on April 25 – is expected to mark a turning point in the development of sport in a country that has produced renowned global athletes, but still has many sporting careers to nurture in order to sustain them over a competitive lifespan. “For the entire team behind Panama 2026, for the sporting community, the Games represent a starting point for the reality we want for Panama in the global sports landscape. So, without a doubt, that was the motivation, that is the vision, that was the planning and that is the legacy we hope will remain,” said Damaris Young.

When it was announced that San Luis would no longer host the Games, Panama – which had withdrawn from hosting the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2020 – saw an opportunity. “I will always say it. The management model we were able to implement was extremely important, working in coordination with the State through the institutions that are part of the Institutional Technical Committee and as a team with the Panamanian Sports Institute, with its director and the entire staff, but also understanding that this coordination required the private sector, which has been important and relevant not only from an economic standpoint and its impact, but also in elevating the human talent and capabilities of our professionals so that Panama can continue to grow,” explained Young.

Understanding the Olympic Committee from within

The current president of the Panama Olympic Committee previously worked in the legal field and also served as vice president during the administration led by Camilo Amado, which laid the foundations for restoring credibility to the national sports body. “The governance situation the organisation faced was very difficult and when Camilo Amado took over – honestly, I take my hat off to him – I was part of that process, advising him on legal matters but also on management, and the challenge was monumental, we didn’t even have recognition. I believe the great legacy Camilo Amado left was establishing the foundations so that, when I later took office, those foundations could be developed.”

That development began by putting the house in order, establishing administrative standards for each federation, association or sports union with international recognition or participation, as the reality of some was unacceptable even at an organisational level, which hindered the development of their athletes.

Faced with this situation, the Panama Olympic Committee has made significant efforts to train sports leaders so that their organisations could be managed responsibly, with communication based on transparency towards the State, international sports bodies and, above all, their athletes. “We work with a strategic plan approved by our national federations during our term, from which all management indicators are derived, and each year we report on the fulfilment of those indicators. Hosting multi-sport events was clearly one of those objectives,” the president of the Panama Olympic Committee explained.

Athletes as the main focus

The relationship between the Olympic Committee and the Panamanian Sports Institute has been very different compared to previous periods, although there now seems to be a better understanding between both organisations in terms of planning and collaboration since Miguel Ordoñez – an active golfer – took office at the Panamanian Sports Institute. “Athletes are at the centre of our decisions. And that’s not just something we say, it’s reflected in our actions. I also believe it’s important to highlight that having a director general who is an athlete, who understands what athletes go through, makes things much easier, because when you sit down to discuss planning, it’s not something unfamiliar,” said Damaris Young.

This positive dynamic has made it possible to focus on other key aspects, including physical and mental preparation, equipment, working tools, technology, and even infrastructure specifications – one of the most complex areas – for the development of athletes across the country’s federations and associations. “I am always grateful that we have coincided in the same period, because I believe it is part of why we are now able to pursue the country’s objectives. All of these objectives are agreed upon together, which I think is the key message and the great opportunity. It is also a way for future administrations to understand that, in order to avoid challenges, the first step is to sit down and agree on where you want to go,” she concluded.

Panama is now looking to take the next step in its ambition to host multi-sport events, with its sights set on the 2029 Junior Pan American Games. The initiative already has government backing, official letters have been submitted, and a process with Panam Sports has begun to formalise its candidacy.

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The whole world has heard of the legendary multi-champion boxer Roberto “Hands of Stone” Durán; also of pitcher and the only unanimously inducted Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera; or Olympic champion from Beijing 2008, Irving Saladino, among other figures who have left an international mark in more globalised sports.

Changing Panama’s current reality

With these and other figures, one might think this is a territory that regularly produces sporting icons; however, that development and presence have not been sustainable over time, a reality Panama is now trying to change.

Sports such as basketball, the only team sport in the country to have reached the Olympic Games, have gone through very difficult periods that have led them to lose prominence, as has also happened in volleyball, among other disciplines that include individual sports.

Several sports in the country have been recovering through new ideas and leadership capable of making effective decisions, such as implementing projects that have helped change results or achieve milestones that were previously unseen. This has been the case with football, which qualified for its first World Cup in 2018 and recently for a second time ahead of the upcoming tournament in June; as well as gymnastics, which has had a golden generation of young athletes who in a short time have placed Panama in a different sporting landscape with the impressive performances of Hilary Heron and Karla Navas; and similarly cycling, which has had consecutive Olympic appearances through Christofer Jurado and Franklin Archibold.

Atheyna Bylon’s breakthrough

At both the Pan American and Olympic level, Panama has also reached the podium in disciplines that had not done so for many years or were waiting for a leading female figure, something achieved through Olympic athlete Gianna Woodruff, the first woman from the country to win a gold medal at the Pan American Games, achieved in Santiago 2023; and boxer Atheyna Bylon, the first woman to win an Olympic medal for Panama, with the gold medal in Paris 2024.

These are strong signs that sport in Panama is evolving, and that the immediate objective is to accelerate that progress. This has not been an easy task, as the main obstacle remains financial, due to the recurring limitation of funds allocated to sport, along with poor governance in some disciplines.

With the organisation of the current South American Youth Games, Panama is not only recovering its value as a sporting destination—especially as a country that attracts significant tourism—but can also be strengthened by the positive impact the event may leave for the country’s different associations, federations, and sports organisations.

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The tournament will feature the two best women’s teams in the world, the United States and Mexico, led by their iconic quarterbacks, Vanita Krouch and Diana Flores, respectively. Both players have been at the center of a rivalry that has defined multiple international tournaments.

A tournament with history and high expectations

In the 2023 edition, the United States defeated Mexico in the continental final, repeating the result at the 2024 Flag Football World Championship. This year, the competition promises to be just as intense, with both teams looking to reaffirm their dominance in the sport.

Simultaneously, the first IFAF Americas Youth Flag Football Championship will be held, featuring U15 and U17 categories for national men’s and women’s teams. This parallel event will take place on adjacent fields, highlighting the commitment to developing future generations of athletes.

Panama: a world-class host

Luis Alfredo Navas, president of the Panamanian Federation of American Football (AFFP), expressed his “enthusiasm for welcoming the best flag football players from across the continent.” According to Navas, “the tournament will not only be a high-level competition but also an opportunity for visitors to enjoy Panama’s vibrant urban life, rich culture, and natural wonders, including the Panama Canal.”

In the men’s tournament, the United States will aim to defend its title against Mexico, its eternal rival, whom it defeated in the 2023 final. Meanwhile, Panama’s men’s team, which earned bronze in the same championship, will look to improve its performance and capitalize on its experience as the host nation.

The legacy of flag football in Panama

Panama’s women’s team has a distinguished history in flag football. They were world champions in 2016, runners-up in 2018 when the country hosted the World Championship, and bronze medalists at the 2022 World Games. However, in 2023, they missed the continental podium after being surpassed by Canada.

Among the local stars is Ana Vincensini, a standout wide receiver who has excelled in collegiate football in the United States. Vincensini was named Sun Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, thanks to her impressive stats: 84 receptions, 849 yards, and 19 touchdowns during her junior season at Warner University.

A family-friendly experience

The event will not only be a sports spectacle but also an experience for fans. Attendees will enjoy a Fan Zone with family activities, live music, games, art, food trucks, and official merchandise stores. This space aims to attract more people to the sport and foster a festive atmosphere during the championship.

Javier L’Episcopo, IFAF Director for the Americas, highlighted the “confidence in the local organizing committee to replicate the success of the 2018 Flag Football World Championship,” also held in Panama. According to L’Episcopo, this tournament represents an important step in the development of flag football in the region.

A sport on the rise

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide, with 20 million athletes in over 100 countries. The IFAF Americas Flag 2025 will serve as a showcase for the talent and creativity that define this sport, which continues to gain momentum ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

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