Dakar 2026 YOG lists Baseball5, futsal, rugby sevens and 3x3 basketball in Dakar, Senegal; First Olympic sporting event in Africa.

Discover the team sports to watch at the Dakar 2026 YOG

As the first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa, the Dakar 2026 YOG will bring together the world’s best young athletes in Senegal from 31 October to 13 November 2026. Discover four team sports in the official competition programme: Baseball5, futsal, rugby sevens and 3x3 basketball.

Speed, skill, intensity and teamwork will take centre stage at the Dakar 2026 YOG. The first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa, taking place from 31 October to 13 November 2026 , will feature 25 sports in the official competition programme. An engagement programme designed to introduce the general public to sport will also be rolled out across 10 engagement sports.

Here are four team sports not to miss during the Games.

Baseball5: a new way to play baseball

Compact and accessible, Baseball5 brings the principles of baseball to an urban format. The game is played without a bat or glove. Players use their hands to hit a rubber ball before running between the bases. The sport combines speed, coordination and quick reactions. It is played by mixed teams and features fast-paced exchanges.

Baseball5 will be played at the Complexe Tour de l’Oeuf in Dakar. The first games will take place on 30 October, with competition concluding on 3 November.

Futsal: football in a compact format

Futsal is an indoor version of football, with five players per team. Played on a smaller pitch, the game is faster and spaces are tighter. The discipline requires excellent technical skills, with ball control, quick passing, movement and decision-making all essential to creating scoring opportunities.

Futsal will have a number of unique features at the Dakar 2026 YOG. The tournament will be the longest competition at the Games, lasting 10 days. Matches will be played at two venues: the Complexe Iba Mar Diop in Dakar from 1 to 5 November, and Dakar Arena in Diamniadio from 7 to 12 November.

Rugby sevens: speed and power

Rugby sevens follows the fundamental principles of rugby, but in a shorter and more intense format. Two teams of seven players compete on a rugby pitch, with open spaces and fast-paced sequences of play. Every move can quickly change the course of a match. Players must combine power, explosiveness and a strong sense of teamwork.

The rugby sevens tournament will take place from 1 to 3 November at the Iba Mar Diop Complex in Dakar.

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3x3 basketball: basketball at high speed

Three players per team, one basket and a smaller court: 3x3 basketball offers a short, intense format. Teams switch rapidly between attack and defence, with little time to build their plays. Quick decision-making and the ability to work together are essential. The format also brings the action closer to the spectators.

The 3x3 basketball matches will be played at the Tour de l’Oeuf Complex in Dakar from 6 to 9 November.

Four sports, four ways to experience the YOG

These four disciplines showcase the diversity of the Dakar 2026 sports programme. A total of 25 sports will feature in the official competition programme, across venues in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

From team sports to combat sports, and from athletics to new disciplines such as Baseball5, the Games will offer a wide range of formats for young athletes and spectators alike.

Watch or rewatch the At the heart of the sports – Dakar 2026 series

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