Preparations for the Youth Olympic Games are entering their final phase in Senegal, with infrastructure nearly complete and increased mobilisation of stakeholders.
Just over seven months before the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, preparations are reaching a crucial stage.
Meeting in Dakar on March 25 and 26, 2026, members of the Coordination Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (YOGOC) noted significant progress in the construction work and operational arrangements.
The President of the YOGOC, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, indicated that “the work has reached a completion rate of 96 to 97%,” specifying that the infrastructure will be delivered “by the end of April.”
The sites involved include the Iba Mar Diop Stadium, the Olympic swimming pool, as well as the facilities in Diamniadio and Saly.
The general coordinator, Ibrahima Wade, emphasized the importance of meeting deadlines, stressing that “the infrastructure will be ready for delivery” within the announced timeframe. He also mentioned the Olympic Village, located at Amadou Makhtar Mbow University, which is scheduled to be available from mid-June.
Similarly, the chairman of the coordination commission, Humphrey Kayange, told Olympics.com: “What we are seeing in Dakar is a project that has moved from vision to reality,” adding that “the coming months will be crucial.”
The Games, scheduled for October 31 to November 13, 2026, will bring together approximately 2,700 young athletes aged 17 and under. Three hubs will host the competitions: Dakar, Diamniadio,
and Saly.
Furthermore, the Youth Olympic flame will be lit on September 10, 2026, in Athens, before arriving in Dakar on September 12 and traveling through all 14 regions of Senegal.
The “Youth in Games” programme is expected to mobilise up to 300,000 young participants through sporting, cultural, and educational activities.
In parallel, the « Jambaar26” volunteer program has already received more than 14,000 applications from 115 countries.
SS/te/Sf/fss/as/APA