Guatemala Marks the Start of the Road to

Qualify for the 2029 Junior Pan Am Games

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 28, 2025.- The 2025 U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, to be held from July 29 to August 3 at the Domo Polideportivo in Zone 13 of Guatemala City, marks the beginning of the qualification pathway for the third Junior Pan American Games in 2029.

For teams of the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), the U23 Pan American Cups, both men’s and women’s, held in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, will award ranking points valid for qualification to the 2029 Junior Pan American Games. The qualification process will close on December 31, 2028.

The South American Volleyball Confederation (CSV) will establish its own qualification system.

On the subject, coaches shared their thoughts:

Luis Fernando Castañeda, Guatemala’s assistant coach, said, “It’s a very tough tournament; this category is a prelude to the senior team. The level of every team participating is high, and we will try to do a good job and tournament as hosts.”

United States coach Nicolette Sanlin commented, “This is their first time in an international competition. They are very excited and eager, but ready to show the best of themselves.”

Albert Humes, Belize’s coach, expressed, “I’m very excited and happy to be here. This is not only a stepping stone for the development of the program, but attending this U23 tournament is a plus for our country. Our team is here to give their best and show mutual respect. If we do that, we will do well in this tournament.”

Jair Morales, Mexico’s assistant coach, pointed out, “There are several experienced teams; a Pan American Cup is always a very important event for us. Our team comes well-prepared and with high aspirations. Our squad will participate in the Junior Pan American Games, and we aim to achieve a good result here to boost our morale heading into Paraguay.”

Suriname’s coach Carlos Orta Fellove explained, “This tournament is very important for all countries, especially for us as we are developing our national teams. We have a very young team coming up from U19. Our main goal is to try to win the tournament, but we know it won’t be easy.”

Costa Rica’s coach Cesar Salas said, “We’re happy to be in Guatemala. We’ve brought a very young team, about half-and-half in experience. We want to give a new generation the opportunity to contribute to this category. That doesn’t mean we won’t try to win, but we also want to prepare for the next Central American Cup. We want to shape this group since this is their first international experience.”

Venezuela’s coach Yanni Antonio Capuzzi stated, “We have very high expectations. We believe we can do very well in the group stage and aim to reach the semifinals directly. It’s worth noting that our team is U21, the same one we will take to the U21 Pan American Cup in Canada as preparation for the Bolivarian Games in Peru later this year.”

The Dominican Republic team is arriving at midnight, so their interview will take place on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.