The 2026 Youth Olympic Games officially kicked off in Senegal on Saturday, marking the first Olympic event to be staged on African soil as the continent seeks a bigger role in international sporting competitions.
Thousands of spectators gathered at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium in Dakar for the opening ceremony.
Hundreds of drummers and dancers celebrated Senegalese and African culture in a spectacular display guided by the Games’ motto: “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.”
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Performers dressed in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese gowns formed a map of Africa as they danced in unison. The ceremony also featured West African oral storytelling, a concert by Senegalese singer Obree Daman and the traditional parade of athletes.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially declared the Games open.
“This is a historic event, and it was so important for me to be here,” said Aby Diouf, a 25-year-old Senegalese spectator at the stadium. “It’s a marvellous celebration, and we are all here to bring the energy and get people hyped.”
About 2,700 athletes aged between 14 and 17 are expected to compete for medals.
Russia’s delegation of 13 athletes is competing under its national flag at an Olympic event for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to its suspension.
The Games will also feature the first refugee team at a Youth Olympic event, with six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda competing in athletics, judo and taekwondo.
Athletes will contest 153 medal events across 25 sports.
Singapore hosted the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Dakar was initially scheduled to host the event in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic forced its postponement.
“This is a historic moment for Senegal, for Africa and for our entire Olympic family,” he said.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry at the opening ceremony.
Coventry, a former Zimbabwean swimming gold medallist, became the first woman and the first African to lead the IOC last year.
The Games come as African countries increasingly view sport as a tool for diplomacy and economic development.
South Africa hosted the continent’s first FIFA World Cup in 2010, while Morocco will co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal.
Rwanda hosted Africa’s first UCI Road World Championships last year, while Formula One is expected to return to the continent with a Grand Prix in Rwanda early next decade. Botswana also hosted the World Athletics Relays in May.
Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.
