Senegal ready to show ‘what it is capable of’ at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics
With 100 days to go until Senegal hosts the first Olympic event on African soil, preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are entering their decisive phase. Venues are nearing completion, almost 24,000 people have applied to volunteer and organisers are promising hundreds of thousands of free or affordable tickets.
Ibrahima Wade, general coordinator of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, tells RFI how Senegal is preparing to welcome the world's young athletes from 31 October to 13 November.
RFI: There are just 100 days to go until the Games begin. How are preparations progressing and when will the competition venues be handed over?
IW: Preparations are going well. Testing has already begun wherever it is required.
As for the competition venues, work was needed at four of the 12 Olympic sites, either to refurbish existing facilities or build new ones. That work has now been completed, particularly at the Olympic swimming pool, the Tour de l'Œuf complex and the equestrian centre.
The only site where we still need to monitor progress is the Olympic Village at Amadou Mahtar Mbow University. In addition to the six new buildings being constructed, seven buildings previously occupied by students also had to be refurbished. The students left just under a month ago and the deadline for completing the work has been set for 31 July.
RFI: Do you feel that enthusiasm and interest have grown in recent weeks?
IW: Yes, we can feel it. There is a real sense that enthusiasm is growing and that our partners are becoming more involved – whether that is the city of Dakar or the municipalities of Diamniadio and Saly.
Municipalities across the country have also taken part through programmes such as the Olympic Civic and Sports Certificate, which has reached every school in Senegal and involved more than 1 million pupils.
We have also developed strong partnerships with the local authorities visited by the Diambars 26 roadshow, which was launched to recruit volunteers. Things are looking good. More and more people and organisations are approaching us to ask what role they can play.
Senegal sets dynamic pace to prepare for Youth Olympics in Dakar 2026
RFI: Around 6,000 volunteers will work during the Games. How many applications have you received and has the response exceeded your expectations?
IW: Nearly 24,000 people have registered from 107 countries. From those applications, our teams interviewed exactly 11,100 people.
That is very encouraging and shows the enthusiasm and interest generated by the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
RFI: Ticket sales have just opened. How will the system work? How many tickets will be available and will people from disadvantaged backgrounds be able to attend?
IW: The organising committee expects around 1 million spectators across all events, from the opening ceremony to the sporting competitions.
Based on those estimates, we have made 800,000 tickets available. Of those, 300,000 have been reserved for the Youth in Action programme, which aims to involve 300,000 schoolchildren from across Senegal.
These young people will receive free tickets giving them access not only to competitions but also to cultural activities and sporting demonstrations.
A further 300,000 tickets will be distributed free of charge through local authorities, associations, community movements and sports organisations, allowing those groups to attend as well.
The remaining 200,000 tickets will be sold at highly affordable prices. Tickets for sporting events will cost between 1,000 and 3,000 CFA francs [around €1.50 to €4.50].
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RFI: A major moment in the build-up will be the lighting of the flame in Athens on 10 September. It will arrive in Senegal on 12 September before beginning its journey around the country. As an organiser and former Olympic athlete, how are you approaching that occasion?
IW: It is a moment we are looking forward to with great excitement. It will bring the Olympic spirit and Senegal together, creating a deep connection with the Senegalese people and particularly with the country's young people.
We plan to take the flame through all 14 regions. It will be a deeply moving moment for me, for everyone involved and for the whole of Senegal.
It may be the first moment that truly connects us with the reality of the Games, but it will not be the only highlight. The opening ceremony will be another major occasion, followed, of course, by the sporting competitions.
RFI: With 100 days to go, are you feeling the pressure to make a success of the first Olympic Games held in Africa?
IW: The pressure is there, I must admit, and it is mounting.
When we reached the 1,000-day mark, we told ourselves we still had plenty of time. At 365 days – one year to go – we again felt that there was plenty of time left. Now, with only 100 days remaining, the pressure is increasing, but it is pressure driven by positive and joyful enthusiasm.
Planning ahead has guided everything the organising committee has done. Because the preparations have remained on schedule, we now know that this moment is eagerly awaited.
It is an opportunity to show the entire world and the Olympic family what Senegal is capable of, and how the country is preparing to welcome the world's youth to the first Olympic event on the African continent – in a spirit of solidarity and, above all, friendship, excellence and respect.