Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games draw 23,000 volunteers and nationwide flame tour

The Dakar 2026 Organising Committee is accelerating preparations for Africa's first Youth Olympic Games. A national tour aims to involve every Senegalese community, urging citizens to take part in the event and promoting local cultural and sporting initiatives. The COJOJ has already recruited 6,000 volunteers and expects close to 23,000 registered participants through the Jambaar26 programme.

Venue works are entering final stages, with testing scheduled for July‑August across eight competition sites, including taekwondo, beach volleyball, breaking and swimming. Over 200 National Olympic Committees attended preparatory seminars, and athlete quotas have been allocated for all NOCs and the Refugee Olympic Team. Around 300,000 young Senegalese are slated to join school and community activities, while a Youth Olympic Flame Tour will travel across the country in September ahead of the Opening Ceremony on 31 October 2026.