The Dakar en Jeux 2025 Festival officially opened on Monday 4 November and will run until Sunday 9 November. The programme features an international futsal tournament, cultural events and awareness-raising workshops promoting healthier lifestyles.
The countdown is on. With less than a year to go until the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the Dakar en Jeux Festival — held annually since 2022 — returns for a new edition.
Once again, the event, which blends sport and culture, offers a foretaste of the Olympic experience. Here is an overview of the key activities.
International futsal tournament
The festival opens with an international futsal competition hosted at Dakar Arena, bringing together eight teams from Africa, Europe and South America. The tournament runs over four days, with the full match schedule available online.
The competition got under way on Thursday 6 November. The opening day was highlighted by two convincing victories for Senegal’s women’s team, with emphatic scorelines of 7–2 against Guinea and 9–2 against Namibia.
Open-air concerts and fashion show
Several festival-related events will also take place in downtown Dakar. The forecourt of the TER railway station will host three evenings of live performances from 4 to 6 November 2025, featuring three artists and three distinct musical atmospheres.
Le lendemain, vendredi 7 novembre, un défilé de mode exceptionnel réunissant créateurs, mannequins et artistes, pour célébrer la créativité sénégalaise et africaine, aura aussi lieu sur le parvis.
Plusieurs événements à Saly
While the capital takes centre stage, the beaches of Saly will also host several highlights of Dakar en Jeux. On 8 November 2025, a large-scale outdoor fitness session is scheduled from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
The following day, Friday 7 November, the same venue will host an exceptional fashion show bringing together designers, models and artists to celebrate Senegalese and African creativity.
A packed programme in Saly
Outre la musique, la mode et le sport, Dakar en Jeux est l’occasion de promouvoir les valeurs olympiques et de sensibiliser le public aux questions de bien-être et de santé publique.
In this context, the educational initiative Impact Spark will engage young Senegalese through workshops and sports activities addressing a wide range of themes, including oral health, addiction prevention, malaria, mental health, social cohesion and personal boundaries. Participants will be able to acquire measurable skills through the BOCS — the Olympic Certificate of Sports Competences.
The Dakar 2026 YOG will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026, bringing together 2,700 of the world’s best young athletes aged up to 17. The Games will be held across three host sites in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
