The World DanceSport Federation –WDSF– and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee are staging Breaking en Francophonie on 7 and 8 August, an operational test and preparatory event at the Complex Tour de l’Œuf in Dakar. The venue will host the Olympic breaking competition in November and will undergo a technical assessment during the event ahead of the Games.
Organised with the support of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie -OIF- and the International Olympic Committee -IOC-, the event is expected to bring together young athletes from several countries and a strong contingent from Senegal. As well as giving them an opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd, the gathering will allow organisers to test the field of play and venue logistics.
Testing a venue ahead of Dakar 2026
Holding Breaking en Francophonie at the venue selected for the Olympic competition will allow organisers to assess its operation during a sporting event and identify any adjustments required before the delegations arrive. WDSF considers the test a decisive step in the joint preparations and an essential technical assessment of the venue.
Dakar 2026 will take place from 31 October to 13 November and bring together approximately 2,700 young athletes aged up to 17. It will be the first Olympic event staged on African soil. Breaking, popularly known as breakdancing, will be part of the Games programme, while the independent Breaking en Francophonie event is being used to test the venue and organisational arrangements during the final months of preparation.
An opportunity for African breaking
The presence of Senegalese breakers alongside international participants will provide a platform for talent from Africa, particularly young athletes from the host country. The event will also present competitive breaking to the local public and highlight its connection with African urban culture on the road to the Games.
Breaking en Francophonie is not part of the Olympic competition, which will be held later during Dakar 2026. The Games programme provides for 24 breaking quota places, divided equally between 12 b-boys and 12 b-girls from different National Olympic Committees. The allocation principles include universality, continental representation, priority for Africa, host-country representation, athletic performance and gender equality. The discipline debuted at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, made its senior Olympic debut at Paris 2024 and will return to the youth stage in Dakar.
Training to support the sporting legacy
The weekend programme includes international congresses led by WDSF specialists and technical training sessions for breaking judges and DJs. Delivered as part of the collaboration with OIF, these activities are intended to build sustainable administrative capacity and strengthen the sporting legacy of Dakar 2026.
The collaboration between WDSF, the Organising Committee, the IOC and OIF therefore combines an assessment of the future Olympic venue with youth competition and technical training. The federation presents Breaking en Francophonie as an opportunity to advance preparations for the Games, showcase African urban culture and leave knowledge that can support the development of breaking after Dakar 2026.
Last related articles
