DAKAR, March 27 (Xinhua) -- With just over 200 days to go until the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the eighth International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission meeting concluded on Thursday, marking the official transition to the final delivery phase for Africa's first Olympic event.
Over two days, the IOC Coordination Commission, led by Chair Humphrey Kayange, joined the local organizing committee and Senegalese authorities for venue visits and discussions across the three host zones, Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, where preparations are moving from planning to execution.
"What we are seeing in Dakar is a project that has moved from vision to reality," said Kayange, a former Kenyan rugby international. "The momentum is clear, the commitment is strong, and the focus is now firmly on delivery."
"We are impressed with the preparedness of the team and the quality of the venues, and the months ahead will be crucial, as every step brings us closer to welcoming the world for what will be truly historic and inspiring Youth Olympic Games," he added.
Key sports venues, including Complexe Tour de l'Oeuf, Complexe Iba Mar Diop and the Equestrian Center, are approaching completion in April. Competition schedules have been finalized, and the ticketing program is set to launch soon. A Chefs de Mission seminar, bringing together national and regional Olympic committee representatives, is scheduled for April 9 and 10 in Dakar.
The volunteer program, Jambaar26, has drawn more than 14,000 applications from 115 countries and regions for 6,000 roles, with interviews now underway. Meanwhile, the workforce is being further strengthened by participants from the Learning Academy.
With the Youth Olympic flame to be lit in Athens on Sept. 10 before arriving in Dakar two days later, the torch relay will travel across all 14 regions of Senegal, making around 30 stops. Parallel celebrations are planned across the continent with support from Olympic Solidarity.
Up to 300,000 young people are expected to be engaged through the "Jeunesse en Jeux" initiative during the Games, building on programs that have already reached more than 480,000 young Senegalese.
"The Commission could see both how the project is developing and that we are entering the fully mature phase of Games preparation and delivery," said Mamadou D. Ndiaye, president of the Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee. "Everything is now in place for us to approach the next milestones with calm conviction and make the Dakar 2026 YOG an exemplary and sustainable success."
The official poster, the Games song and dance, and the ceremony uniforms will be unveiled in the coming months.
The Dakar 2026 YOG will be held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, bringing together around 2,700 young athletes aged up to 17. ■