What Sports will be on the program at Dakar 2026?

Dakar 2026 will be the first Youth Olympic Games to benefit from the IOC’s evolved approach to the YOG sports programme, designed to better fit the local context.

There are 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports on the programme at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

The 25 competition sports are athletics (track and field), aquatics (swimming), archery, badminton, baseball (baseball5), basketball (3×3), boxing, breaking, cycling (road cycling), equestrian (jumping), fencing, football (futsal), gymnastics (artistic gymnastics), handball (beach handball), judo, rowing (coastal rowing), rugby (rugby sevens), sailing, skateboarding (street), table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball (beach volleyball), wrestling (beach wrestling) and wushu.

The 10 engagement sports for Dakar 2026 are canoe-kayak, golf, hockey, karate, modern pentathlon, shooting, sport climbing, surfing, tennis and weightlifting.

Sports principles

Aiming at providing a sustainable and credible model for Dakar 2026, an updated set of sports principles has been developed. These limit each sport to just one discipline. The venue and operational strategy maximise the use of existing venues and promote the sharing of venues and fields of play. NOC representation and participation principles will ensure a pathway for all NOCs to Dakar 2026, with a strong focus on the African NOCs and athletes, as well as continental representation across all sports.

Dakar 2026 will be fully gender-balanced in both the overall athlete quota and across every sport, discipline and event. This acts on one of the sports principles for Dakar 2026. Out of the 153 events across all sports on the programme, there are 73 for each gender and seven mixed events. Meanwhile, the athlete quota for the Games has been set at 2,700, reflecting the IOC’s determination to delivering a tailored and efficient programme that preserves the elite nature of the event, while guaranteeing a competitive platform for young athletes worldwide.

The maximum age for participants will be 17 at the time of the Games, with the respective age requirements aligned with International Federation and elite athlete pathways where possible.

Participation principles

The IOC Executive Board approved the Participation Principles for the Dakar 2026 YOG on 17 March 2025, reinforcing the event’s commitment to universality, gender equality and strong African representation. The revised participation and entries process aligns with the strategic priorities of NOCs and IFs, ensuring an inclusive and merit-based athlete selection system. Key principles include:

• Providing an opportunity for the athletes from the territories of 206 NOCs and the Youth Refugee Olympic Team to participate.
• Prioritised participation for all 54 African NOCs, and host country representation across sports and disciplines where possible.
• Central management of the athlete quota by the IOC to uphold these principles, while maintaining competitive integrity, with a focus on youth development and alignment with existing NOC and IF investment pathways.
• IFs establishing the minimum sporting and eligibility criteria for participation in their respective events at the YOG.
• Having an equal number of quota places for women and men across the disciplines.

The framework also removes the requirement for YOG-specific qualification events, easing financial and logistical pressures on the NOCs, IFs, NFs and athletes. This structured approach ensures a fair and accessible pathway for participation, while strengthening the global impact of the YOG.