The Dominican Republic wants to host the 2027 Caribbean Series Kids. LIDOM formally submitted its bid to the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CBPC) on August 18, 2026 — just two days after Mexico defeated the Dominican squad in the final of the tournament’s third edition in Nayarit. If the CBPC approves the request, the Dominican Republic would become the first full member of the confederation to host the youth event.
Who Filed the Bid and How It Happened
The announcement came from Pavel Aguiló, general manager of the Dominican team, acting on behalf of LIDOM president Vitelio Mejía Ortiz. The formal request was delivered at the close of the tournament at the Estadio Coloso del Pacífico ‘Don Alejo Peralta’ in Tepic, Nayarit — the very stadium where the Dominican Republic had just lost the title. The CBPC still needs to evaluate the candidacy and issue a decision. As of publication, no official host for 2027 has been confirmed.
Why This Bid Has More Weight Than a Press Release
The Caribbean Series Kids is a U-12 tournament modeled after the adult Caribbean Series. It launched in Panama in 2024, moved to Caracas and La Guaira in 2025, and landed in Mexico in 2026. Here’s the scoreboard so far:
- The Dominican Republic won the first two editions, both times in the final against Venezuela — including the inaugural championship by a score of 12-10.
- In 2026, they reached the final again but fell to the Jaguares de Nayarit 8-6, losing the title.
- DR is the only full CBPC member that has not yet hosted the tournament. Panama, Venezuela, and Mexico have all had their turn.
The rotation logic points naturally toward the Dominican Republic, and the bid reflects that reality.
A Bumpy Road Just to Get to Mexico
There’s an extra layer to this story. LIDOM initially announced it would skip the 2026 edition altogether, citing a shortage of flights to Mexico caused by the surge in travel demand during the Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026. The team eventually resolved the logistics through airline Arajet and made the trip. The effort it took to get there — and the heartbreak of losing in the final once they arrived — appears to have pushed LIDOM to move quickly and claim the next edition for home soil.
What Comes Next
The CBPC has not announced a public timeline for its decision, and no competing bids have been confirmed. If the Dominican Republic’s candidacy is approved, the island would host a tournament it has won twice but never seen in its own ballparks — and for Dominican fans, that means something.
