JOJ Dakar 2026: the Olympic flame lands in Dakar, 50 days before the opening

The lighting ceremony took place at 8:30 a.m. in the historic grounds of the Panathenaic Stadium, in the presence of a Senegalese delegation led by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Djirèye Clotilde Coly. The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, the President of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (COJOJ), Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, and the Mayor of Dakar, Abass Fall, also attended the event.
Three Senegalese athletes had the great honor of carrying the flame during the symbolic relay held there: captain of the national basketball team Brancou Badio, swimmer Oumy Diop, and athlete Louis François Mendy.

The IOC describes this event as historic: Dakar 2026 will be the first Olympic event ever held on the African continent, bringing together 2,700 young athletes across 25 disciplines.

"On the road"

The Olympic flame has arrived in Dakar, where it will be officially presented on September 12, 2026 during a ceremonial event at the Place du Souvenir africain. It will then begin a long national tour, under the theme "Pass the Energy."

From September 14 to October 30, it will travel through the country’s 14 regions across about thirty stops. The route will include 14 stops in the Dakar region alone, then 16 stops in the other regions, with a planned start from the Dakar-Plateau municipality, the starting point of the journey across the country’s different localities.

The route will travel through the Dakar region from September 14 to 27, then the other 13 regions from September 29 to October 24, before returning to Dakar from October 28 to 30.

Among the cities already announced along the route: Dakar, Rufisque, Guédiawaye, and Pikine, then further inland, Saint-Louis, Matam, Kolda, and Ziguinchor.

Popular celebrations

The passing of the flame will not be limited to a simple relay. The organizing committee plans for each stage to be a real highlight for the public: a show combining sports, cultural and educational activities will be organized in each major city, with speeches from the host city representatives and concerts to end the day. The public will also be able to meet and take photos with AYO, the official mascot of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Schools will play a key role in this initiative: the passage of the flame will be accompanied by sports, cultural, and educational activities primarily intended for students. The route will also showcase national heritage, with the flame traveling through historic locations and iconic sites across the country.

About 450 torchbearers mobilized

Around 450 people (athletes, young talents, civil society members, and local figures) will take part in the relay through the different regions of Senegal. Among the announced torchbearers are actor Omar Sy, influencer Khaby Lame, as well as several major figures in Senegalese sport such as Amadou Dia Bâ, Amadou Gallo Fall, and Isabelle Sambou.

See you on October 31

The route will end on October 30 at Place de la Nation, on the eve of the opening of the Games. The flame will then be used to light the Olympic cauldron at Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, during the opening ceremony on October 31, before remaining lit until the close of the Games on November 13.