English 
French 
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC) is proud to announce the launch of the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy programme, which is designed for the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Africa.
The Dakar 2026 Learning Academy will offer around 50 young people the opportunity to gain experience in various committee departments, including logistics, security, press operations and venue management. Each African National Olympic Committee (NOC) is invited to nominate one man and one woman to participate in the selection process. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to join the YOGOC for a short-term secondment starting in January.
To ensure maximum participation by NOCs, this programme is supported by Olympic Solidarity and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa.
A strong intangible legacy for Africa
This programme offers African NOCs a unique opportunity to play a direct role in organising the continent's first Youth Olympic Games. Participants will develop skills that will be useful for organising sporting events in their respective countries, and potentially even internationally, in the future.
Selection criteria and key dates
Candidates must be nominated by their National Olympic Committee (NOC) and must be aged between 21 and 35 on 1 April 2025. They must also have a minimum of two years' experience in sports management or administration. Fluency in French and English is also required.
The important dates are as follows:
31 October 2025: Deadline for submitting NOC nominations.
30 November 2025: End of the Dakar 2026 selection process.
January or April 2026: Start of programmes for selected participants.
Regarding the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy
Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee is launching the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy programme, which aims to train almost 400 people aged 21 to 35 to enable them to participate in organising the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The training is aimed at recent university graduates and professionals from across the continent.
The Youth Olympic Games will not only attract young people to sport, but the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy could also encourage them to pursue a career in major event management.
