Dakar 2026: your guide to the Youth Olympic Games
From Saturday, 2,700 young athletes compete in 25 sports across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. Here is what, where and why it matters.
Dakar — On Saturday 31 October, Senegal opens the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event ever held in Africa. In Wolof they are Ndakaaru 2026; the motto is "Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates".
The basics
- Dates: 31 October to 13 November, 14 days.
- Athletes: about 2,700, aged in their teens.
- Events: 153 in 25 sports, with an equal number of men's and women's events.
- Opening ceremony: the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, which seats 50,000.
- Mascot: Ayo, a lion cub. Thousands of Jambaar26 volunteers will welcome visitors.
Where to watch what
- Dakar: athletics, boxing and rugby sevens at the Iba Mar Diop complex; road cycling along the Corniche West.
- Diamniadio: archery at the Olympic stadium; badminton and futsal at Dakar Arena; gymnastics, wushu, fencing, judo, taekwondo and table tennis at the Dakar Expo Centre; equestrian events at the new equestrian centre.
- Saly: beach handball, beach volleyball, beach wrestling, coastal rowing, sailing and triathlon.
New on the programme
Breaking and skateboarding are core sports, and baseball5 and wushu make their appearance. Ten more sports, from surfing to sport climbing, will be shown in a no-medal "engagement" programme.
Why it matters
Dakar was chosen unanimously in 2018. The Games were due in 2022 but moved to 2026 because of the pandemic, and Senegal kept its promise. For the first time the IOC itself manages all entries, and its qualification principles include strong African representation, so many of Africa's best young athletes will compete at home. They are also the first Youth Games under IOC President Kirsty Coventry.
