Dakar 2026 flame lit in Athens ahead of Senegal relay

The Olympic flame for Dakar 2026 is now on its way to Senegal, marking a major step towards the first Olympic event to be held on African soil. The Youth Olympic Games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, bringing about 2,700 young athletes together in around 20 sports.

The flame was lit on Thursday at Athens’ Panathenaic Stadium during a ceremony attended by members of the Olympic movement, the Senegalese delegation and Dakar 2026 ambassadors. Those ambassadors included swimmer Oumy Diop, Senegal men’s basketball captain Brancou Badio and athlete Louis François Mendy. It was produced using sunlight and a parabolic mirror, following the method associated with ancient Olympia.

The flame is scheduled to arrive in Dakar on Friday, September 11, with an official welcome planned for the following day at Place du Souvenir africain. From September 14, it will visit all 14 regions of Senegal as part of a national relay involving about 450 carriers, including athletes, young talents and figures from the country’s territories. After more than a month on the road, it will return to Dakar on October 30 for a final stop at Place de la Nation. The flame will then be used to light the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony on October 31.