Odesur Games in the province of Santa Fe: 90 million dollars will be invested in sports infrastructure

Communiqué from the Government of the Province of Santa Fe

This is an automated translation of the press release issued in Spanish

In the framework of the presentation of the infrastructure works plan that the Province will carry out in the cities of Rosario, Rafaela and Santa Fe, venues of the South American Sports Organization (Odesur) Games that will take place from September 12 to 26, 2026, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro, together with the president of Odesur, Camilo Pérez López Moreira; and the president of the Argentine Olympic Committee, Mario Moccia; provided details.

In this context, the governor stated that “the games represent 90 million dollars for the province of Santa Fe. They involve many sports and urban infrastructure projects, which in general terms will be financed by the Government of the Province of Santa Fe and the municipal governments. In some cases, the projects will be in municipal or provincial stadiums and, in other cases, we will finance the city’s sports institutions. We are working to ensure that it can be financed by the Development Bank of Latin America ( CAF ), but in case that cannot be done, we have budgeted the resources to carry out the part that corresponds to the provincial government.”

“These are works that will remain, the 90 million dollars that will be invested in these games will use up a lot of resources. Imagine the number of people who will be in these cities for more than 20 days. Games and events of this nature always leave much more than they take away. In this case, what is left, is in infrastructure. So we are convinced that it is a business where you win or you win,” concluded Pullaro.

Historic opportunity

Meanwhile, Pérez López Moreira explained that Rosario is “the only city in the history of Odesur that will host the three Games. They have already hosted the Beach Games, the Youth Games and now the Senior Games, together with the entire province, so for us it is a joy. For Odesur, the Adult Games are the largest in the South American Olympic movement: 4,500 athletes and 1,600 officials. We believe and have great faith that the province of Santa Fe can host great Games.”

Finally, Moccia said that “Santa Fe has the historic opportunity to be the epicenter of South American sport. These games imply a transformation in infrastructure and a sporting legacy by giving our athletes the opportunity to compete in their country, with their people, in their city.”

“The values that are transmitted through sport, excellence, friendship, respect, camaraderie and solidarity mean that we can continue to generate events of this nature in Argentina, which generate legacy, commitment, a positive image and a source of income for our people,” concluded the president of the Argentine Olympic Committee.

The event took place at the Santa Fe Sports Museum in the city of Rosario and was also attended by the Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports of the Nation, Daniel Scioli; and the mayors of Rosario, Pablo Javkin; of Santa Fe, Juan Pablo Poletti and of Rafaela, Leonardo Viotti; among other authorities.

Infrastructure and sports policy

In Rosario, for the Games, an Olympic village will be built on the grounds of the former Battalion 121; a stadium in the former Rural; a roof for the development of the 3 x 3 basketball discipline, at the intersection of 27 de Febrero and Oroño; and an aquatic center in the Club Atlético Provincial. In the city of Santa Fe, within the High Performance Sports Center (Card), a micro stadium and housing will be built, among other improvements. Meanwhile, Recreo will join the headquarters for the shooting discipline, for which a polygon will be located in the former premises of the Liceo General Belgrano. For the village for athletes, the provincial government has decided to finish the 346 houses of the Esmeralda Este II plan, which once the competitions are over will be destined for the housing policy.

In Rafaela, new housing will be developed in a joint effort with the private sector, and a microstadium will later be in the hands of the Municipality of that city.

There are 15 countries that make up Odesur as an association of the national Olympic committees of South America: Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Curaçao, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay, Suriname, Peru and Paraguay.