Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing division of Alibaba and a worldwide Olympic partner, will be the official technology services provider for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event to be held on the African continent. The agreement was formalized during a ceremony in Hangzhou, China, attended by representatives of the Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee, and Alibaba Cloud.
Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Stack platform will host key services for planning, logistics, operations, and post-Games activities, becoming the backbone of the IT systems for the Senegalese event.
Technology for a more efficient experience
Antoine Azokly, Head of Technology and Energy for the Youth Olympic Games at the IOC, emphasized that “the integration of Alibaba Cloud’s cloud technology and artificial intelligence exemplifies our shared commitment to making Olympic events more efficient, sustainable, and engaging.”
The agreement also includes the deployment of Alibaba Cloud’s digital flame, an interactive experience first introduced at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, aimed at connecting with younger generations and digital audiences worldwide.
“A technological foundation for athletes, fans…”
Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, highlighted that “this collaboration marks an important milestone by bringing world-class digital infrastructure to Africa’s first Olympic event. Our cloud solutions and AI capabilities will create a technological foundation to ensure smooth and innovative operations for athletes, organizers, and fans.”
The Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee, led by Ibrahima Wade, believes this partnership will strengthen local digital capabilities: “The implementation of these technologies will not only ensure efficient operations but also leave a lasting technological legacy that will benefit Senegal and the African sports community long after the Games.”
Dakar 2026: 2,700 young athletes and 35 sports
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, across three venues: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly. They will bring together 2,700 young athletes who will compete in 35 sports: 25 competition sports and 10 participation sports.
Since becoming a worldwide Olympic partner in 2017, Alibaba has played a key role in the IOC’s digital transformation. Its support for Dakar 2026 is part of a broader strategy focused on cloud infrastructure to optimize the efficiency and sustainability of Olympic events.
