The opening ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is scheduled for Saturday, 31 October, from 6.30pm to 8pm at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.
Those expected to attend include Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry.
According to information released by the organisers, the ceremony will be directed by Khady Niang, with staging by Adama Diop. The show is expected to showcase Senegalese culture and the diversity of the African continent. Around 11,000 participants, including 700 dancers, are expected to take part.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will run from 31 October to 13 November in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. They will bring together around 2,700 athletes aged 17 or under, competing in 153 medal events, according to the IOC.
The competition programme features 25 sports: athletics, coastal rowing, badminton, baseball5, 3×3 basketball, boxing, breaking, road cycling, fencing, futsal, artistic gymnastics, beach handball, judo, beach wrestling, rugby sevens, skateboarding, swimming, equestrian jumping, taekwondo, table tennis, archery, triathlon, sailing, beach volleyball and wushu.
A further 10 sports are included in the engagement programme: canoeing and kayaking, sport climbing, golf, weightlifting, hockey, karate, modern pentathlon, surfing, tennis and shooting.
The programme aims to introduce young people to these disciplines and encourage them to take part.
The Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, located in Diamniadio, about 30 kilometres from Dakar, will host the opening ceremony as well as the archery events.
Competitions will take place at eight venues spread across the three host areas.
Held under the slogan “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates”, this fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be the first to take place on the African continent.
SS/Sf/lb/as/APA