2026 Zips in Summer Development

[Zip_ME87]

Featuring quotes from Captain Leo Morana …

 

https://varsiq.com/cleveland-force-scs-rally-falls-short-in-4-3-home-opening-loss-to-pittsburgh-riverhounds-2/

[Zip_ME87]

 

[Zip_ME87]

Travelled to Lansing, MI Monday afternoon and was treated to a first half show by Jack Roman and Remi Agunbiade. Wish I could find video to share. 
 

 

 

 

[Zip_ME87]

This seemed like the best thread in which to place this.

 

Thomas O'Rourke has been selected to participate at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games (https://jcc2026.org/en) for the Dominican Republic...

 

https://www.fedofutbol.do/seleccion-dominicana-anuncio-convocatoria-femenina-y-masculina-para-centroamericanos-y-del-caribe-2026/

 

English translation of the key points from that website...

 

The Dominican National Football Team announced the rosters of players who will represent the Dominican Republic at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, for both the women's and men's teams.

 

On the men's side, the roster consists of 11 players developed within the domestic league—though four of them currently play abroad—and nine based outside the country who have previously participated in youth national team programs, with some even having received call-ups to the senior squad. It is worth noting that, as this falls outside the official FIFA international window, some players did not receive permission from their clubs to participate in the event. The men's squad will gather for a training camp starting July 14 at the Dominican Football Federation's High-Performance Center, remaining there until July 28, when they must join the competition.

 

Dominican Men's National Football Team for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games:

 

Midfielders: Thomas O’Rourke (Akron Zips – USA), Yordy Álvarez (Real Tomayapo – Bolivia), Sergio Cuello (CYD Leonesa – España), Lucas Bretón (Málaga CF – España), Cristian Ciccone (UDC Txantrea – España), Adrián García Jaquez (CD Leganés – España) y Nicolás Cruz (Cibao FC – RD).

 

 

 

Per AI:

 

At the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, football (soccer) does not offer direct qualification spots to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. 

Instead, the tournament acts as a major developmental milestone and seeding platform for regional national programs. While the matches themselves do not punch a direct ticket to LA28, they impact the international soccer landscape in several specific ways:

1. Seeding for the Direct Olympic Pathway

CONCACAF (the governing body for North, Central America, and the Caribbean) uses separate under-20 (U-20) tournaments to determine direct Olympic qualification. However, the team rosters built, tested, and scouted during Santo Domingo 2026 form the core talent pool for the upcoming CONCACAF Men's and Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. 

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:59 PM by Zip_ME87

[Zip_ME87]

Aiden Benitez selected to represent El Salvador in the upcoming CONCACAF U20 World Cup Qualifiers (listed at ~2:26 in the video below; they still list him as Butler University)....

 

 

https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/under-20-championship/news/schedule-and-venues-confirmed-for-2026-u-20-championship

 

The tournament – part of Concacaf’s revamped Youth National Team competitions calendar – will also serve as the qualifying competition for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027 and the 2028 Summer Olympics Men’s Football Tournament. The four teams that reach the semifinals of the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship will qualify for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, while the tournament winner will also qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Should the United States—already qualified as host of the Olympics—win the regional competition, the Olympic berth will be awarded to the runner-up.