Is Senegal Ready to Host Africa's First Youth Olympic Games?
Stadiums are being renovated, volunteers are being trained, and partnerships with local tourist outlets are being set up, instilling confidence in Senegal’s ability to host the world come 2026.
In two years, the beach-lined streets and charming buildings of Dakar will play host to the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will make it the first-ever Olympic event to take place on the African continent. Originally set to be held in 2022, the events will now be held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2026. According to a statement from the International Olympic Committee, this postponement will allow the Senegal committee to better plan and prepare for the event in 2026.
While still two years away, Senegalese sports experts say the country appears to be sufficiently equipping itself to host the games, previously held in countries like Singapore, China, Argentina, Norway, Switzerland, Austria and South Korea.
Papa Mahmoud Gueye, who is the managing editor at Taggat, a prominent Senegalese sports outlet, and has been in Paris to cover the Olympics, says the Dakar 2026 and the Senegalese Olympic Committee have been on the ground to get a feel for how Paris 2024 was organized and to set the tone for what’s to come in 2026. “They have organized panels here to talk about the preparations and the progress of the work. Senegal's national agencies have also been here, and they will be involved in this Youth Olympic Games,” Mahmoud tells OkayAfrica.
In 2022, Dakar also hosted the Dakar en Jeux (Dakar in Games), a games festival that took place across Dakar, Saly and Diamniadio. The event was also hosted in October last year, affirming Senegal’s readiness and suitability for hosting global events.
On the home front, the country has already begun striking partnerships with socio-economic players, including hotels, restaurants and other tourism-friendly spaces.
“Senegal is taking the preparations for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games very seriously, even though there has been some delay in making the infrastructure available,” Chérif Sadio, a teacher and development director at Sporting Football Club de Neuilly-sur-Marne, tells OkayAfrica. “Everything is being done to ensure that this event is a success and an opportunity for Senegal to showcase its sporting cultural, and economic greatness to the world.”
Sadio says a focus of the planning committee is the refurbishment work on existing sports infrastructure. The Iba Mar Diop Stadium began renovations in 2023 to increase its capacity to 8,000. “The government has launched an ambitious plan to modernize sports infrastructure to meet international standards. A number of stadiums, sports complexes and Olympic villages are to be made available across the country to welcome athletes from all over Africa and the world,” Sadio says, adding that although there are no new buildings, “the government is working hard to refurbish other infrastructures so that they are ready for the events.”
“Volunteer training is also underway,” he adds. “Volunteers will play an important role in ensuring the smooth running of the event and providing a pleasant experience for athletes and visitors alike. They will receive high-quality training to prepare them for all the duties they will have to perform during the event.”
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