CHIRIQUÍ, Panama, September 12, 2025.– The Seventh AFECAVOL Men’s U23 Central American Championship will take place from September 16 to 20 at the La Basita Gymnasium in the province of Chiriquí, Panama, featuring a brand-new competition format that includes a preliminary group stage.
Until now, AFECAVOL tournaments in this category had been played in a round-robin format, where each team faced all other participants. With the introduction of the new group-stage system, the competition gains a new dynamic, making every match crucial for advancing to the final rounds.
All seven Central American countries will participate in the tournament, divided into two groups: Group A consists of five-time champion Guatemala, Belize, and Panama, while Group B includes Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras.
At the conclusion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the crossover semifinals (1A vs 2B and 1B vs 2A). The third-place team in Group B will qualify directly for the 5th/6th place match. Meanwhile, the third-place team in Group A will face the fourth-place team in Group B; the winner will play for fifth place, and the loser will finish in seventh place.
Guatemala enters as defending champion, having reclaimed the title in the previous edition, also held at La Basita Gymnasium in 2023, after losing it to Nicaragua in 2022. With five titles, Guatemala remains the most successful team since the tournament’s inception.
Schedule Preliminary Round
September 16
2:30 pm Nicaragua vs Honduras
5:00 pm Costa Rica vs El Salvador
7:30 pm Belize vs Panama
September 17
2:30 pm Nicaragua vs El Salvador
5:00 pm Costa Rica vs Honduras
7:30 pm Guatemala vs Panama
September 18
2:30 pm El Salvador vs Honduras
5:00 pm Nicaragua vs Costa Rica
7:30 pm Guatemala vs Belize
Year by Year Medalists
| YEAR | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| 2012 | GUA | CRC | HON |
| 2014 | GUA | CRC | ESA |
| 2016 | GUA | PAN | CRC |
| 2018 | GUA | NCA | PAN |
| 2022 | NCA | GUA | ESA |
| 2023 | GUA | NCA | CRC |
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