At the end of October 2026, the first ever Olympic event on African soil will take place as the Youth Olympics comes to Senegal .

Around 2,700 young athletes are expected to compete across a total of 153 events in 25 sports, with many qualifying through the African Youth Games last year.

"We were entrusted with hosting this event and that is why from Johannesburg to Nairobi, from Dakar to Djbouti, it is all of young Africa that is watching you and watching you with pride," Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said at the arrival of the flame.

The moment marks yet another step forward for global sport in Africa. In 2025, the first major road cycling event took place on the continent, and in September this year it was announced the first-ever World Athletics Championships would be held in Kenya in 2029. There are also on-going negotiations about Formula 1 returning.…