Fans arrive at the stadium for the Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympics ever to be held on African soil, opened Saturday in the Senegalese capital marking an historic moment for the continent. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the opening at the Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Diamniadio.

Signs proclaiming "Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates" are omnipresent across Dakar, which is hosting nearly 2,700 young competitors aged 14 to 17 from around the world. Events ranging from athletics to beach wrestling, rugby sevens to breaking, will be held across eight venues in three locations. According to Coventry, the opening ceremony was televised live in more than 30 countries, with every African nation having committed to showing the Games live.