The 2026 NORCECA Men’s Final Six Begins in Ponce

PONCE, Puerto Rico, August 19, 2026.– The NORCECA Men’s Final Six returns to Ponce for its sixth edition, scheduled from August 23 to 29 at the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.

The competition will feature Puerto Rico (host), Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.

The preliminary round will be played in a round-robin format from August 23 to 27.

The United States enters the event as the three-time defending champion.

In last year’s edition, the United States claimed the gold medal, Puerto Rico earned silver, and the Dominican Republic took bronze.

Mexico finished fourth, Canada fifth, and Suriname sixth.

The head coaches assessed their teams ahead of the tournament.

Canada – David Preston

Canada looks to bounce back after an atypical fifth-place finish in 2025.

“The team that was here last year was one of our university teams, not our national team. They represented the country after winning the previous national championship. This year, the team is part of our national program, so last year’s result was an anomaly. Our performance at the Pan Am Cup and our matches in Mexico have been good preparation to compete here against strong opponents. This group is looking forward to the challenge.”

Dominican Republic – José Mañón

The Dominican Republic looks to build on the progress that earned it bronze in 2025.

“We came to stay on the podium. We brought the full team; we are only missing last year’s setter. We arrived from Mexico with this same group, and we are going to fight for another medal. I don’t know what color, but we are going for one.”

Guatemala – Lucas Mora

Guatemala returns to the Final Six for the first time since 2021, marking an important step for the national program.

“Returning to this type of event is very important for us because these are the highest-level teams in NORCECA. It gives us the opportunity to face them and play at this pace. We know it’s a very tough and demanding competition, but we came to make the most of it and do our best. The players are motivated, and we want to have a good tournament. This is the same group from our pre-selection, and we are happy to be here and enjoy the competition.”

Mexico – Carlos Schwanke

Mexico, a medalist in 2021, 2023, and 2024, seeks to return to the podium after missing out last year.

“Mexico always aims for the highest positions. Right now, we are fighting to improve our world ranking, and this competition is fundamental for our path toward our dreams: qualifying for the World Championship and then the 2028 Olympic Games. Every tournament is essential to add points and get closer to our objectives.”

Puerto Rico – Alberto Jamille Torres Rosario

The Puerto Rican head coach emphasized that facing the three-time defending champion raises the competitive bar, while reaffirming his team’s ambition.

“The U.S. team arrives practically the same as last year, but reinforced. We won the silver medal last year, and playing at home brings more pressure, but it also excites us. No one believed we would beat Cuba at the Central American Games or Canada at the Pan American Cup. We cannot aspire to anything less than bringing home a gold medal for our people.”

United States – William Reid Priddy

The three-time defending champion arrives with a roster that gained valuable competition experience in Mexico.

“This group has worked very hard over the summer. We just got back from Mexico, which was our first competition of the summer for this particular group. We prioritize this event and intend to play as hard as we can and continue to get better.”