Inaugural Cali-Baja Cup brings about 70 teams to Calexico this weekend.
Organizers and officials present the inaugural Cali-Baja Cup at a press conference in Calexico on October 6, 2026. The Mexican Consulate banner is visible at right.
October 6, 2026 · Calexico, California
The first Cali-Baja Cup starts Friday in Calexico, a binational youth soccer tournament set for October 9–11. Organizers say about 70 teams, ages 4 to 18, are expected from both sides of the border.
Mexico’s Consulate in Calexico, Mayor Victor Legaspi, and organizer Carmen Estrada presented the tournament at a press conference Tuesday beneath a Cali-Baja Cup 2026 banner. Teams are expected from Calexico, Mexicali, the Imperial Valley, San Diego, Yuma, and San Luis.
A consular representative said the cup is meant to strengthen ties between Mexico and the United States in a region where Mexicali and Southern California communities have lived and worked side by side for more than a century. The Consulate said it is supporting the event and plans to attend Friday’s opening.
“I’m very excited that we have this event this weekend,” Legaspi said. He called soccer a major sport for young people in Calexico and Mexicali, thanked Estrada for putting the tournament together with counterparts in Mexico, and invited families to come watch. “There’s going to be food out there, there’s going to be drinks out there. Just enjoy the kids.”
Estrada said this is the first time the tournament is being held. She said local clubs already travel to places such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles to compete, and that other organizations encouraged them to host a cup of their own in Calexico.
“It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible,” she said. “We are getting it done.”
Schedule
Opening night: Friday, October 9. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7:00 p.m.
Games: Saturday and Sunday, October 10–11, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Ages: 4 to 18.
About 70 teams.
Friday’s program is planned as a family event, with participating teams, contests, a Mexican banda de guerra, and both the Mexican and U.S. national anthems. Organizers said food vendors, including carne asada tacos, will be on site. Games will be played on several fields in the area. The exact opening-field name was not clear in the presentation.
Cost and support
Estrada said some teams are being charged $250, with a lower fee for Calexico and Imperial Valley teams because of the local economy. She said support so far has been mostly in-kind rather than cash, and that Imperial County provided authorization for the event. She estimated the tournament could bring more than 200 visitors from outside Calexico, with three or four people traveling with many of the teams.
Info: Carmen Estrada, (760) 886-2159.
