Esports feature in an exhibition at an art museum in Senegal for the first time, according to the International Esports Federation -IESF-. Through its partnership with UNESCO, the Senegalese Gamers Association -Sengames- has contributed to ‘Between Sand and Concrete: Lands of Champions’, open to the public until 15 November at the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art in Dakar. Its players appear alongside traditional sporting champions in an exhibition exploring the country’s sporting heritage.
Sengames’ contribution traces the history and evolution of gaming and esports in Senegal and honours players who have represented the country internationally, including ‘Verix’, ‘Dexxx Junior’, ‘Hamza’ and ‘Alioune’. For the association, their inclusion represents “recognition of the passion, dedication and achievements of an entire community that has been building the Senegalese Esports ecosystem for years”. The exhibition brings the stories of players, organisers and supporters into the country’s wider sporting narrative.
Archives, testimonies and international champions
The exhibition, whose full title is ‘Sport, Memory and Society: Between Sand and Concrete, Lands of Champions’, combines archives, testimonies and contemporary creative work. Football, wrestling, basketball and athletics provide ways to explore the social and cultural history of sport in Senegal and Africa. Supported by UNESCO’s Regional Office for West Africa and Expertise France, it brings together contributions from artists, researchers, athletes and heritage professionals. The museum presents sport as “living heritage, collective memory and a vehicle for social cohesion”.
One of the featured players provides a concrete example of that history. Pape Ismaïla Gueye, known as ‘Verix’, won the Arc World Tour 2023 finals in Guilty Gear Strive, held in March 2024 in Long Beach, United States. The tournament’s name refers to the preceding season, although its finals took place in 2024. His victory is among the international achievements the exhibition introduces to an audience beyond those who regularly follow competitive gaming.
Partnerships give the community a wider platform
Sengames, an IESF member, works with players, clubs and institutions. Its collaboration with UNESCO brings that work into a cultural setting and helps document a history shaped beyond competitions alone. The IESF sees these partnerships as a central part of its national members’ work: building relationships with public authorities, cultural institutions and international organisations to secure lasting recognition for esports in their own countries.
That institutional cooperation has a recent precedent. On 13 February 2026, Sengames signed a one-year agreement with Senegal’s Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, in the presence of minister Alioune Sall, to organise Efest Africa. The agreement covers the development, organisation and promotion of an event dedicated to gaming, esports and technological innovation. Its objectives include raising the profile of emerging projects, connecting entrepreneurs with investors, and supporting training and youth employment. Sengames is responsible for overall coordination and bringing public and private partners on board.
Gaming moves into public spaces
The association’s activities also extend to Place de la Nation, where the Esport & Innovation Village runs from 2 to 11 November. Led by the city of Dakar in partnership with Grand Paris Sud, it offers tournaments, virtual reality experiences, exhibitions, discussions and workshops, with free admission. Sengames is taking part with support from Orange-Sonatel, Digital Virgo and Société Générale Sénégal. Introducing the initiative, the association described gaming as a means of fostering “social connection, learning and innovation”, bringing generations together around Dakar 2026.
At the museum, visitors can explore interactive and experimental spaces in the garden, alongside guided tours and educational activities for young people. The programme includes discussions about sustainable cities, support for athletes, and the relationship between sport, culture and peace. Its aim is to extend recognition beyond those who win medals or tournaments. As the museum explains, the exhibition “pays tribute to everyone who makes sport possible: athletes, educators, supporters, artists, institutions and communities”.
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