Senegal's Beach Soccer AFCON 2026 gets new dates

Senegal’s defence of the African beach soccer title on home sand will take place later than first planned. The 2026 Africa Cup of Nations has been moved to 28 November-6 December, giving the reigning champions a revised timetable for their continental campaign.

The tournament was originally scheduled for 7-15 November 2026. The Confederation of African Football and the Senegalese Football Federation approved the change after reviewing Senegal’s busy sporting programme at the end of the year. The new dates also allow the country to organise the competition separately from the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which are scheduled for 31 October-13 November.

Separating the two events is intended to make coordination easier and improve the conditions for staging both international competitions in Senegal. The revised calendar places the beach soccer tournament after the Youth Olympic Games while keeping it in the country. Senegal, the reigning African champion, will therefore continue preparing for a title defence in front of a home audience under the new schedule. The federation has reiterated its cooperation with CAF in delivering the tournament and supporting the development of beach soccer across Africa.