DAKAR, Senegal – The Olympic flame for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games arrived in Senegal on Saturday, beginning a nationwide journey ahead of the first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil.
The flame was welcomed at Dakar’s Place du Souvenir Africain in a ceremony attended by Senegalese officials, athletes and members of the public. A procession involving 100 Senegalese women, known as linguères, formed part of the ceremony celebrating the arrival.
The flame had been lit at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on September 10 before being transferred to the Senegalese delegation for its journey to Dakar.
Flame to travel across Senegal
Beginning September 14, the flame will travel through Senegal’s 14 regions before returning to Dakar ahead of the Games.
About 450 people are expected to take part as torchbearers during the national relay, which will run for more than a month and conclude on October 30, one day before the opening of the Youth Olympic Games.
The route is intended to bring the Games beyond the capital and involve communities across the country. Organizers say the torchbearers were selected to represent different generations, communities and areas of Senegal.
The flame will ultimately be used to light the cauldron during the opening ceremony, marking the formal start of Dakar 2026.
First Olympic sporting event in Africa
Dakar 2026 will be the first Olympic sporting event hosted on the African continent.
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The Youth Olympic Games are designed for young athletes and are smaller than the senior Olympic Games. About 2,700 athletes are expected to compete in Dakar and nearby locations, including Diamniadio and Saly.
The Games will run from October 31 through November 13 and feature competition across multiple sports.
The International Olympic Committee has described Dakar 2026 as a significant milestone for the Olympic movement and an opportunity to showcase African athletes and sporting development.
For Senegal, the event represents both a major sporting occasion and a national undertaking involving venues, transportation, volunteers and communities across the country.
The torch relay now begins the final stage of the countdown. After crossing Senegal, the flame will return to Dakar for the opening ceremony, when the continent’s first Olympic sporting event officially gets underway.
Reporting Credit: International Olympic Committee — Dakar 2026 Olympic flame, Youth Olympic Games program and official event information; Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee — transfer and national relay of the Olympic flame; Senegalese National News Agency (APS) — Senegal’s official reception and relay arrangements.
