Senegalese president receives Olympic flame ahead of youth games

Senegal is preparing for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, marking the first-ever Olympic event hosted on the African continent. Following the traditional lighting ceremony in Athens, Greece, the Olympic flame landed in Dakar.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and national officials welcomed the arrival of the flame to launch the final 50-day countdown to the Games. Around 450 torchbearers including prominent figures carried the flame.

The relay culminates at the Place de la Nation in Dakar, right before lighting the cauldron at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio. With 2,700 young athletes competing across 25 sports, competitions will span three host sites—Dakar, Diamniadio, and the coastal resort city of Saly.