Senegal counts down to start of Youth Olympic Games 2026
The Dakar en Jeux Festival brought together thousands of people across the Dakar 2026 host sites to celebrate youth, sport and culture, rounding off a week of activities marking one year to go to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026.
The Dakar en Jeux Festival brought together thousands of people across the Dakar 2026 host sites to celebrate youth, sport and culture, rounding off a week of activities marking one year to go to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026.
Since its launch in 2022, Dakar en Jeux has become a flagship initiative of the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, providing a platform for young people to discover new sports, celebrate local culture and learn about the Olympic values.
Promoting sport and health From 6 to 9 November, the Play Programme invited 1,700 children to try a range of sports, including basketball, futsal, judo, boxing, fencing, badminton and athletics.
Each session concluded with workshops on fair play, and ethics awareness, reinforcing the importance of integrity in sport. Following its successful 2024 debut, Impact Spark returned to the three host cities, combining physical activity with workshops on health and well-being.
Delivered in partnership with the Lausanne-based SPARK/innov-action association the initiative encouraged 900 young people aged 14 to 18 to adopt healthy lifestyles through sport and movement.
Celebrating local culture Throughout the week, Dakar en Jeux celebrated Senegalese culture through music, dance and the arts.
Promoting sport and health From 6 to 9 November, the Play Programme invited 1,700 children to try a range of sports, including basketball, futsal, judo, boxing, fencing, badminton and athletics.
Free concerts were held at Dakar Train Station and the Grand Concert de Saly brought together leading Senegalese performers alongside emerging local artists for an open-air concert on Saly Beach West.
Traditional performances, fashion shows and youth theatre all contributed to the festival atmosphere across the host sites, showcasing the diversity and creativity of Senegal’s cultural scene.
Education was also a central theme of the festival. At Dakar Arena, children who had completed the Olympic Civic and Sports Certificate (Brevet Olympique Civique et Sportif) took part in the “Young Geniuses” and “Spelling Bee” contests, testing their knowledge of the Olympic values.
Marking one year to go Delivered by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, Dakar en Jeux capped a week of activities celebrating the “One Year to Go” milestone for the Youth Olympic Games.
Earlier in the week, a special ceremony at the Grand Théâtre in Dakar saw the unveiling of AYO as the official mascot of Dakar 2026. The young lion, whose name means “joy” in Yoruba, reflects the optimism and dynamism of African youth.
The unveiling was attended by the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, together with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Humphrey Kayange and Mamadou D. Ndiaye, President of Dakar 2026 and of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee.
On the same day, Worldwide Olympic Partner OMEGA unveiled the official countdown clock at Dakar Train Station, marking the start of the final year of preparations for the Games.
The YOG Dakar 2026 will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together 2,700 of the world’s best young athletes aged up to 17. The Games will be held across three host sites in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
