Gearing Up for the Games

In a first for the African continent, Senegal will host the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) from 31 October to 13 November.

The Dakar 2026 YOG carry a strong symbolic ambition, embodied by their motto “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” Host Senegal sees the event as a catalyst for its influence, the modernisation of its infrastructure, and the mobilisation of its youth.

China has emerged as Senegal’s leading international partner in ensuring the event’s success. This support extends beyond the sporting arena and strengthens the increasingly important relationship between China and Senegal.

The Chinese Olympic Committee has supported the Senegalese authorities since the YOG were awarded to Senegal in 2018. According to Seydina Omar Diagne, secretary general of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee, “Our first partners were the Chinese, who showed their full support from the outset.” 

This cooperation continues a long-standing relationship. Senegalese athletes already benefitted from Chinese support during the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing. Dakar 2026 is thus the culmination of a long-term partnership.

One of the most important elements of this partnership is the donation of equipment worth 1 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.7 million), handed over in Dakar in August 2025. The shipment, consisting of approximately 13,000 items in 12 containers, came from China’s Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee. 

For Ibrahima Wade, general coordinator of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC), this is “a firm commitment to excellence and friendship.” The equipment will be used by sports federations, the Olympic Village on the campus of Amadou Mahtar Mbow University (UAM) in Diamniadio, and YOGOC’s operational services.

A sustainable strategic partnership

Li Zhigang, Chinese ambassador to Senegal, hailed the YOG as “an exciting moment when Senegal will shine on the international stage,” and stressed the importance of the strategic cooperation between China and Senegal.

The Senegalese Armed Forces have provided secure hangars to store equipment, demonstrating that the state is mobilising all its resources to ensure the event’s success.

Beyond equipment, China is investing in the training of Senegalese athletes. A delegation of 98 athletes and coaches, representing 12 sports categories, recently spent 60 days at several high-level centres in China. This support is fully funded, which Diagne describes as “win-win cooperation in the spirit of friendship, respect and excellence.” These training programmes give young Senegalese athletes access to world-class facilities, with the aim of creating a legacy that will strengthen national sporting performance in the long term.

Chinese technical and artistic experts are actively involved in preparations for the YOG opening and closing ceremonies. Their contributions include set design, sound, lighting, and event logistics. According to Diagne, “China has highly recognised expertise in staging major sporting events,” as demonstrated by the Beijing Olympics. This support is of strategic importance, as the ceremonies are decisive moments for the image of the host country.

Another major area of cooperation is the digitalisation of YOG organisation, ensured through a partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the official supplier of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Its Apsara Stack platform will host all digital services, including planning, logistics, operations, and post-YOG content. For Antoine Azokly, head of YOG technology and energy at the IOC, this partnership “will leave a lasting digital legacy for sport in Africa.”

A sporting and diplomatic milestone 

Alibaba will also roll out the digital flame, an innovation already used at Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, designed to engage young people worldwide through interactive tools. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko praised this collaboration following a visit to Alibaba’s headquarters in China.

China’s commitment is part of a broader geopolitical dynamic. Dakar 2026 YOG is becoming a platform for Sino-Senegalese cooperation at a time when China is strengthening its economic, technological and cultural presence in Africa. The success of the YOG is therefore of both sporting and diplomatic importance.

The event also supports national priorities, notably Vision 2050, which places youth and innovation at the centre of development. The equipment will be reallocated to federations, the UAM, and national sports organisations. For Wade, “this is a legacy we are leaving for future generations.” The digital infrastructure deployed will also remain in place to support the digital transformation of Senegalese sport.

China is playing a decisive role in steadily building Senegal’s capacity to host a world-class Olympic event. It goes beyond assistance. It is a strategic partnership that is ushering Dakar 2026 YOG into a new era, one in which Africa is no longer simply hosting a global event, but redefining it, with the support of a partner that has become indispensable.