The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) has officially released the beach volleyball schedule for 2026, featuring a marathon ten-stop Continental Tour and the highly anticipated Central American and Caribbean Games.
For Bermuda’s national pairings, the release marks the start of a critical preparation window. After a productive 2025 campaign that saw local teams testing themselves against the region’s heavy hitters, the 2026 circuit offers a direct path to the Centennial Games in the Dominican Republic this July.
The 2026 season kicks off from April 2nd to 6th with the first stop in Santo Domingo, setting the stage for what will be the epicenter of regional sport this year. The tour then winds through Costa Rica, Mexico, and Cuba, providing a relentless schedule of high-stakes competition throughout the spring.
Bermuda enters the new year with significant momentum following a 2025 season defined by growth. Last September, the pairing of Kyle Hamilton and Sean Tucker closed out their tour with a gritty performance in San Salvador. Meanwhile, the emerging duo of Benjamin Barnett and Brandon Sousa represented the island in Nicaragua last November, highlighting the increasing depth in the Bermuda Volleyball Association’s (BVA) beach program.
The centerpiece of the calendar is undoubtedly the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, scheduled for July 24th to August 8th. Celebrating 100 years since the inaugural games, the event in Santo Domingo will see 37 member delegations compete for regional glory. For Bermuda’s athletes, the Continental Tour stops leading up to July will be vital for securing the ranking points necessary to feature in the main draw.
In addition to the senior tour, NORCECA has confirmed an Under-23 Continental Tour stop in El Salvador from August 13th to 17th. This provides a crucial international platform for Bermuda’s younger talent, such as Connor Somerville, Megan Hands, and Natalie Gazzard, all of whom gained valuable experience on the senior tour last year.
The inclusion of youth-specific stops ensures a clear pathway for the island’s rising stars to bridge the gap between regional dominance and the world stage. As the “big freeze” lingers in the UK, Bermuda’s beach specialists will be looking to the warmth of the Caribbean sand to heat up their 2026 ambitions.
