The title came at Bamba Sports' all-girls and women's 5v5 tournament on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park — Mullaly Park to most of the neighborhood — at Cromwell Avenue and McClellan Street in the Bronx. Play started at 4:00 PM, entry was free, and the invitation was open to every skill level, with giveaways and prizes through the afternoon.
The start was a challenge because it was the first time the girls had played together. Still, Dominican Nationals U15 opened with a 2-0 win, followed with a 7-1 victory, added a forfeit win, and closed the regular round with a 5-0 result.
In the semifinal, they faced the Harlem Cup champion from two months earlier, a side with more time together. In a tight match, the Dominican players' talent and commitment carried them to a 2-1 win and a place in the final.
The final brought them against Bamba Girls, the hosts, who also arrived undefeated and with more collective experience. Dominican Nationals U15 fell behind 0-2, adjusted, then answered in spectacular fashion by scoring seven straight goals to win 7-2 and lift the cup.
Six games, six wins, and one trophy gave the project a powerful first chapter, showing discipline, courage, and togetherness from a group built to gather and develop girls of Dominican origin.
The 5v5 capped a busy stretch for the organizers. The week before, on August 1 and 2, Bamba Sports ran its annual BAMBA Afro Cup at Macombs Dam Park on West 161st Street beside Yankee Stadium: two days of diaspora match-ups — Ghana against Nigeria, Guinea against Gambia — in custom jerseys, kicking off at 2:00 PM each day with Bissapio as beverage partner. A week later the girls had a field of their own.
Bamba Sports lists its upcoming community programs, including the Bamba Youth Community League, at bambasports.org. The champions post at @dyfnusa on Instagram.
