Senegal hosts the first Olympic event ever held in Africa

The Senegalese capital of Dakar is hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, marking the first time an Olympic event takes place in Africa. France 24 reported that the event welcomes nearly 2,700 athletes. RFI reported that the Games run from 31 October to 13 November. [1][2]

According to RFI, former International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge proposed launching a youth competition in 2007 for athletes aged 14 to 18. He was concerned about childhood obesity, declining participation in sports, and young people finding solid role models. [2]

The 2026 Summer Youth Olympics are officially known as the IV Summer Youth Olympic Games. The event was originally scheduled to be held over 18 days in 2022, but was rescheduled to run for 14 days in 2026. It is the first Youth Olympic Games held under the presidency of Kirsty Coventry. [9]

The event features a variety of sports and participants from across the globe. Sports included in the schedule range from Baseball5 to swimming, with young athletes competing for podium finishes in Dakar. [4][8]