The flame for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will begin a nationwide tour of Senegal on September 14, marking a major milestone ahead of the first Olympic sporting event to be held on African soil.

The flame will be lit in Athens, Greece, on September 10 before arriving in Dakar on September 12. Its nationwide journey, under the theme “Pass the Energy,” will continue until October 30 and cover all 14 regions of Senegal.

Major cities along the route will host sporting, cultural and educational activities showcasing local heritage and traditions. The program will also feature concerts and performances designed to engage communities ahead of the Games.

The public will have opportunities to meet and take photographs with Ayo, the official mascot of Dakar 2026, as the flame travels through communities across the country.

The tour will conclude shortly before the Games open, with the flame used to light the Olympic cauldron during the October 31 opening ceremony at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio.

The cauldron will remain lit throughout the Games, which run from October 31 to November 13 and are expected to bring together around 2,700 young athletes.

Dakar 2026 will make history as the first Olympic sporting event held in Africa, placing Senegal at the center of a landmark moment for African sport and youth development.