Senegal opens first Olympic event ever held in Africa with Youth Games

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, a multi-sport competition for athletes aged 14 to 17, were officially opened in Senegal on Saturday. It is the first time any Olympic event has been held in Africa. Tens of thousands of spectators attended the opening ceremony at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium near the capital, Dakar, and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open.

The ceremony

The Games' motto is “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” In keeping with it, hundreds of drummers and dancers presented Senegalese and African culture. Performers in yellow, black and white traditional gowns formed a giant map of Africa. The programme also included West African oral storytelling, a concert by Senegalese singer Obree Daman and a parade of athletes.

Aby Diouf, a 25-year-old Senegalese spectator, called the event historic and a marvellous celebration.

Athletes and programme

Competition runs until November 13 in Dakar, the nearby city of Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly. There are 153 medal events across 25 sports.

Russia's delegation of 13 athletes is competing under its national flag for the first time at an Olympic event since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to its suspension. A refugee team is also taking part in the Youth Olympics for the first time, with six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda competing in track and field, judo and taekwondo.

Background

Singapore hosted the first summer Youth Games in 2010. Dakar was originally due to host in 2022, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the event.

At the ceremony, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimming gold medallist from Zimbabwe, called it a historic moment for Senegal, Africa and the whole Olympic family. Last year she became the first woman and the first African to lead the IOC.

Analysts say African countries increasingly view sport as a tool for diplomacy and development. South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and Morocco will co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal. Rwanda hosted the continent's first road cycling world championships last year and is due to stage a Formula 1 grand prix early next decade. Botswana hosted the World Athletics Relays in May.