Dakar readies for Africa’s first Olympic event
An expected 2,700 young athletes will compete in 35 sports, with events spread across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
Senegal is making final arrangements for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, the first Olympic event to take place in Africa. The Games are scheduled for October 31 to November 13, bringing an expected 2,700 athletes to competitions across 35 sports.
After touring the Youth Olympic Village in Diamniadio on October 29, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said preparations were going well. She reported that venues were ready and that excitement among athletes was growing. Events will be staged in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
For Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, president of the Dakar 2026 organizing committee, the gathering also offers competitors a chance to connect outside sport. He welcomed the prospect of young athletes meeting, sharing experiences and forming friendships.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a postponement in 2020 of the Games originally planned for 2022. The Youth Olympic Games began in Singapore in 2010 and feature competitors aged 15 to 18, promoting sporting excellence alongside friendship and the Olympic spirit.
