Senegal will host the Youth Olympic Games beginning on 31 October 2026, with the competition scheduled to run until 13 November 2026. Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly will serve as the primary venues for 15 days of sporting events.
A total of 2,700 athletes are expected to participate in 25 sports, which include 153 medal events and 10 engagement sports held without medals. Dakar was originally scheduled to host the games in 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced a postponement.
Christophe Dubi said, "Africa has hosted many international competitions but this is the first time we have anything labelled with the Olympic rings." Thierno Cisse stated, "We know we are going to be ambassadors for Africa."
Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and first African elected president of the International Olympic Committee last year. More than 400 young Africans received training in event operations to prepare for the games.
Baseball5, skateboarding and martial art Wushu Taolu are making their debut at the competition. The Iba Mar Diop complex will host athletics, rugby sevens and futsal, while the Tour de l'Oeuf complex will host swimming, 3x3 basketball, breaking, skateboarding and Baseball5.
Archery competition and the opening ceremony will take place at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, which cost $270 million to build. Gymnastics, fencing, table tennis, judo and Wushu Taolu will be held at the Dakar Expo Centre.
Saly Plage Ouest will host sailing, triathlon, beach handball and coastal rowing. The Olympic flame was lit in Athens on 10 September 2026 and travelled 3,600km through 14 regions of Senegal.
The Senegal government committed at least $60 million to the host contract, with loans for long-term sports infrastructure projects increasing to around $90 million. Eliud Kipchoge is mentoring a refugee team, while six young athletes from East Africa will compete in athletics, judo and taekwondo.
