Senegal will host the Dakar Youth Olympic Games starting 31 October 2026, marking the first time an Olympic sporting event takes place on the African continent.
The competition is scheduled to conclude on 13 November 2026. Final preparations for the games involve the installation of the last panels in Dakar on 28 October 2026. Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee, stated that the competition was originally intended for 2022 but was pushed back four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coventry said, "We are so happy. This has been a long time in the making." The President noted that the games are ready to welcome nearly 2,700 athletes between the ages of 14 and 17 from 204 National Olympic Committees.
Security for the event will include assistance from French and Spanish police officers who gained experience during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Humphrey Kayange claimed the event could leave a lasting impact beyond the competition itself. Kayange added that the Dakar Games could provide a foundation for future sporting development across Africa through investments in human resources, sporting venues and infrastructure.
South Africa designated Durban as its candidate city for the 2036 or 2040 Olympics on Thursday.
