And then some. Three years ahead of the 2026 Youth Games in Senegal, the first Olympic event in history to be held on African soil, the organizers unveiled the dates and program for the second edition of the Dakar en Jeux festival on Thursday August 31. It will take place over five days, from October 31 to November 4, 2023. No fewer than 30,000 spectators, 2,000 athletes and 200 volunteers are expected in the Senegalese capital. Dakar en Jeux 2023 will kick off with an opening ceremony at the Monument de la Renaissance Africaine in Dakar. The festival will bring together representatives from all 14 regions of Senegal. In addition to concerts and shows, one day will be devoted to urban sports, including rollerblading, skateboarding and BMX. The festival will extend beyond the capital to the towns of Diamniadio (futsal) and Saly (beach wrestling and beach volleyball). For its first edition last year, the Dakar en Jeux festival brought together over 1,500 athletes and offered 26 initiations and sports demonstrations. The sporting and cultural event is scheduled to be held every year until the Youth Games in 2026.
