Africa prepares for historic Olympic moment at Dakar 2026

When the Youth Olympics begin in Senegal in 100 days' time, it will mark a first on African soil.

For all the global icons and champions the continent has provided across events such as athletics, football and boxing, it has never hosted an Olympic competition.

Dakar 2026, which gets under way on 31 October, is set to change that.

"It is monumental," International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Christophe Dubi told BBC Sport Africa.

"Africa has hosted many international competitions, but this is the first time we have anything labelled with the Olympic rings.

"The entire continent will be celebrating with Dakar hosting."

Dakar was chosen as host city in October 2018 and the Games, initially planned for 2022, were postponed until this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing more time for planning.

It will be held at venues across the Senegalese capital, as well as in the towns of Diamniadio and Saly.

Thierno Cisse, deputy chief operating officer of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Games, says preparations are firmly on track - and that the entire country is aware of the responsibility which comes with being Africa's first Olympic host.

"We know we are going to be ambassadors for Africa during this period," he told the BBC.

"It's really important for us as a country to proudly represents the whole continent and show that Africa has high standards."

Africa is the world's youngest continent, with 70% of people living in sub-Saharan regions under 30 according to the United Nations.

"The symbolism of having Africa hosting the sports community is very strong," Dubi said.

"This is a very important first step."

However, local residents hope Dakar 2026 will bring critical issues facing young people in the country to the fore.

A recent report by Senegal's statistics and demographics agency put the rate of unemployment among those aged 15-34 at over 27%, owing largely to a lack of stable opportunities in the domestic job market.

There has also been a crisis of irregular migration in recent years, with many young people risking their lives to seek better prospects abroad.

"We are in a country where the rate of joblessness is very high," Dakar resident Issa Diao told BBC Sport Africa.

"So when we have this kind of event here, it will help people to get jobs."

In a bid to draw global attention to the Games, organisers have appointed high-profile figures including Senegal football captain Kalidou Koulibaly, influencer Khaby Lame and French actor Omar Sy as ambassadors.

The IOC has also named 31 athlete role models to provide mentorship to young athletes at the Games.

Preparations have included engagement programmes, and participation at community level will be promoted.

A scheme to train more than 400 young Africans in areas such as event operations, logistics, technology, accreditation and venue management was also launched by the IOC last year.

"In our recruitment strategy, we decided to open the gates to the whole continent," Cisse said.

"We have more than 30 countries represented from all around the world, but mainly from Africa as youth volunteers."

One of the distinctive elements of Dakar 2026 will be the debut of a youth refugee team, something which was first introduced in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The IOC, working with the Olympic Refuge Foundation and international federations, has identified young refugee athletes through trials and development programmes in East Africa, and those selected for the Games will also receive education and wellbeing support.

"It sends a very clear message," Dubi said.

"Even for people who have lived through extremely difficult circumstances, there is still hope. There is a place where you are welcomed."

The Youth Olympics are smaller in scale compared to its senior counterpart, but will still feature around 2,700 athletes competing in 25 sports.

Ten non-competitive engagement sports, aimed at encouraging participation among local youngsters, will also be staged.

Rather than building venues with limited post-Games use, organisers have focused on restoring and preserving existing sites.

"Two magnificent locations have been rescued from the centre of Dakar," Dubi said.

"They could easily have been sold for housing, but instead they've been saved for sport. This is about thinking beyond the Games."

However, hosting an event of this scale also raises difficult questions around cost.

Senegal reportedly spent around $270m to build the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, which will host the opening ceremony, and, according to the country's sports ministry, could spend an estimated $60m to organise the Games.

These figures could not be confirmed by the LOC and the IOC when the BBC reached out to them.

Both parties say the success of Dakar 2026 will not only be judged by what happens during the two weeks of competition, but by what remains long after the Olympic flame is extinguished.

"The Games are opening a whole range of new sports that are not famous here," said Cisse.

"Maybe we'll be able to say in 20 years from now that some champions were discovered."

While organisers are eager to frame Dakar 2026 as a continental moment rather than a purely national one, the presence of African leadership at the highest level of the IOC also reinforces the sense that it has the potential to shift how the continent is viewed globally.

Last year, Kirsty Coventry became the first female - and African - president of the IOC, and the Zimbabwean's tenure will include overseeing the landmark event.

"We are very proud that an African woman is representing the continent on the biggest stage," said Cisse.

"It's also a special link for us because she was the president of the coordination commission for the Dakar Games before being elected president.

"I know she has a special bond with the Games and holds it in very high esteem."

The IOC envisions Dakar 2026 to become not just a sporting event, describing it as a cultural and social movement to celebrate youth, talent and Africa's growing influence on the global stage.

"It's going to have an effect that is wider than Senegal and Dakar," Dubi vowed.

"It's not only about sport. People will be amazed by what they will see. It's the energy."

As the countdown continues, many Africans will hope that Dakar 2026 will boost the continent's place within the Olympic movement, while also offering opportunities for its young people, administrators and athletes.