Senegal prepares for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has inspected key venues for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, praising the timely delivery of the Iba Mar Diop stadium and the Olympic swimming pool while urging continued effort to meet all commitments before the opening on 31 October. He highlighted the need to maintain high standards from the opening ceremony through to the closing event and lauded the work of Chinese contractors and local teams.

Organisers report that construction and refurbishment are largely complete at the stadium, pool, equestrian centre and the Tour de l’Œuf complex, with the Olympic village at Amadou Mahtar Mbow University slated for final hand‑over by 31 July. Volunteer recruitment has attracted nearly 24 000 applicants from 107 countries, and about 6 000 volunteers will be deployed during the Games.

With 100 days remaining, the Dakar Organising Committee emphasizes national mobilisation, the arrival of the Olympic flame on 12 September, and the ambition to showcase African hospitality and capability on the global stage.