Just days after the Copa America de Beisbol, which was scheduled to be held in Panama beginning on Nov. 13, was postponed indefinitely, another tournament planned for Panama has had to change venues because the original host stadium is unsafe.
Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama, needs to undergo emergency repairs to its roof which are expected to take approximately six months, Miguel Ordóñez of Pandeportes, Panama’s sports governing body and the stadium’s owner, told La Prensa Panama Monday. The 27,000-seat ballpark was scheduled to host the 2026 Serie de Las Americas from Jan. 24-30, 2026, but the ballpark has been ordered closed by Panamanian authorities while it undergoes emergency repairs.
The Serie de Las Americas will feature the champions of professional leagues in Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Curaçao, and Panama.
In a message on WhatsApp, Curacao Baseball Federation president Jedrek Magdalena told World Baseball Network that the Serie de las Americas would be played at Estadio Mariano Rivera and Estadio Juan Demostenes Arosemena in Panama City because of the repairs to Estadio Rod Carew.
The repairs to the ballpark will not affect the season of Panama’s ProBeis winter league, Ordóñez said, noting that Estadio Mariano Rivera in nearby La Chorrera could potentially host ProBeis games.
Pandeportes confirmed to La Prensa that Estadio Rod Carew would be temporarily closed after the National Civil Protection System and the Panama City Fire Department determined the ballpark is a risk to the safety of attendees at events that would be held there.
“Rod Carew Stadium has a safety problem. We have reports from Sinaproc and the fire department indicating that it cannot be used in its current state. It is a threat to the health and physical safety of people,” Ordóñez stated.
First built in 1999, the ballpark was renovated in 2021 at a cost of $6.6 million, with the installation of LED lighting, new seats, locker rooms, restrooms, and a new field. A second phase started in 2021 was never completed, and in the years since, the stadium’s roof has deteriorated, with metal roof panels being removed in 2024. Earlier this year, a portion of the roof collapsed onto a parked car, La Prensa Panama reported.
Estadio Rod Carew is expected to reopen for baseball games once the roof is repaired, Ordóñez told La Prensa Panama, which will allow the spring and summer baseball championships to be held.
Photo: Estadio Rod Carew in Panama City has been closed for emergency repairs, forcing the Serie de Las Americas to relocate to Estadio Mariano Rivera in La Chorrera and Estadio Juan Demostenes Arosemena in Panama City. (Wikimedia Commons)
