The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic flame arrived in Senegal on Saturday, September 12, just two days after being lit at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. Its arrival in the African country marks one of the most symbolic moments on the road to Games that will make history: between October 31 and November 13, Dakar will become the host of the first Olympic sporting event held on African soil. The flame’s arrival was accompanied by young people, athletes, cultural representatives and communities in a celebration that sought to connect the Olympic spirit with Senegalese identity and traditions.
The ceremony took place at Place du Souvenir, where Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), witnessed the lighting of the celebration cauldron. For Coventry, the presence of the flame in Senegal represents an opportunity for the Games to transcend sporting competitions and leave a lasting impression on young people and future generations. Its journey across the country will bring Dakar 2026 closer to different communities and generate interest in an event that, for the first time, will place Africa at the heart of the Olympic calendar.
100 Linguères welcome the flame
One of the central moments of the arrival was the March of the 100 Linguères, featuring one hundred Senegalese women from different generations, professions and areas of society. Dressed in bright orange boubous, the participants accompanied the flame to Place du Souvenir, where the celebration cauldron was lit. The scene combined the ceremonial character of the Olympic movement with an expression deeply rooted in local culture, turning the welcome into a representation of Senegal’s social and cultural diversity.
Traditional music and the sound of drums accompanied a ceremony that also featured Dakar 2026 ambassador Ndeye Awa Diakhate, torchbearers, ambassadors and various figures from Senegalese sport, culture and society. The celebration also took on special significance because of Dakar’s own history with the Youth Olympic flame. In 2010, ahead of the first Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, the Senegalese capital was chosen as Africa’s Celebration City during the flame’s journey through the five continents. Sixteen years later, it returns to Dakar under completely different circumstances: Senegal is now preparing to host the Games.
A journey through Senegal’s 14 regions
From September 14 through October 30, the Youth Olympic flame will travel across Senegal’s 14 regions under the motto “Pass the energy”. The first stages will take place in Dakar and its surrounding areas before the journey extends to cities such as Thiès, Saint-Louis, Matam, Kaolack, Tambacounda, Kédougou, Kolda and Ziguinchor. More than 30 stages are planned in total, with hundreds of torchbearers from different backgrounds expected to take part, carrying the symbol of Dakar 2026 from the capital to communities across the country.
The Flame Tour was designed to go beyond a traditional torch relay. Each major stop will combine sport, culture and education, with activities specifically aimed at children and young people. Schools will play an important role, while celebrations will include sports introductions and demonstrations, creative workshops, cultural performances and opportunities to interact with AYO, the official Dakar 2026 mascot. The Brevet Olympique Civique et Sportif (BOCS) will also be part of the programme, an initiative that reached more than one million people between 2022 and 2026. The tour will also visit iconic locations and showcase the heritage and local identities of Senegal’s different regions.
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