Interior grants legal personality to three Nicaraguan sports associations

The Ministry of the Interior granted legal personality to three non-profit sports associations through Ministerial Agreement No. 08-2026-OSFL, published in La Gaceta, Official Gazette No. 181 on Monday, October 5, 2026, with the official reference Reg. 2026-00947. The decision was signed by Minister María Amelia Coronel Kinloch and enables the organizations to operate legally and raise funds. The agreement was issued in the city of Managua at four in the afternoon on September 25, 2026.

The legal framework of the decision

The agreement is based on Article 13 of Law No. 290, “Law on the Organization, Competence, and Procedures of the Executive Branch,” which establishes that each ministry is the delegated body of the Executive Branch to fulfill and enforce the Constitution and the laws. It also invokes Article 27 of Decree No. 71-98, amended by Decree No. 25-2006, which defines the jurisdiction of ministers throughout the Republic.

The specific authority of the Ministry of the Interior to grant legal personality to non-profit organizations through ministerial agreement is supported by Article 7, numeral 7, and Article 30 of the consolidated text of Law No. 1115, “General Law for the Regulation and Control of Non-Profit Organizations,” published in La Gaceta, Official Gazette No. 09 on January 18, 2024. Law No. 1184, which establishes the functions and structures of the Ministry of the Interior, is also cited.

The beneficiary organizations

The three associations requested their legal personality before the General Directorate of Registration and Control of Non-Profit Organizations and, according to the agreement, comply with the requirements of Article 31 of Law No. 1115:

• Departmental American Football Association Guerreros de Managua (ADFAGM).
• Managua Departmental Chess Association (ASADEM).
• Boaco Departmental Chess Association (ADABA).

The agreement specifies that these are non-profit organizations of indefinite duration, with a presence in the departments of Managua and Boaco.

Obligations and legal representation

Ministerial Agreement No. 08-2026-OSFL provides that the legal representation of the sports organizations shall be exercised in the manner determined by their articles of incorporation and bylaws, always in accordance with the relevant laws. Likewise, the three associations must fulfill their obligations in accordance with Law No. 1115, its regulations, and other laws of the Republic of Nicaragua.

The text orders its publication in La Gaceta, Official Gazette, a requirement that was met with the October 5, 2026 edition, in which the agreement appears on page 9586, within the Ministry of the Interior section.

Impact on organized sports

With this resolution, the three associations cease to be informal groups and now possess their own legal personality, an indispensable condition for signing contracts, opening bank accounts, receiving donations, and managing public or private financing. For American football in Managua and chess in Managua and Boaco, formal recognition opens the door to affiliating with federations, organizing official tournaments, and accessing institutional support programs.

Source: La Gaceta, Official Gazette No. 181, Monday, October 5, 2026, Section I, page 9586 (official reference: Reg. 2026-00947).