The Olympic flame has arrived in Senegal, marking a historic milestone as the country prepares to host the first Olympic sporting event ever held on African soil.

The flame was welcomed in Dakar on Saturday at the Place du Souvenir Africain, where music, dancing and a ceremonial procession highlighted the significance of the occasion. The arrival begins the final countdown to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for October 31 to November 13.

One of the most distinctive parts of the welcome ceremony was a procession involving 100 Senegalese women known as “lingeer,” a Wolof term associated with queens or royal women. Wearing traditional outfits, they carried the flame as part of a celebration of Senegalese culture and the role of women and younger generations in the country’s historic sporting moment.

Senegalese basketball legend Mame Maty Mbengue subsequently lit the Olympic cauldron during the ceremony in Dakar.

The flame had begun its journey in Athens, where it was traditionally lit using the sun’s rays at the Panathenaic Stadium. It was then transferred to Senegal for the next stage of its journey toward the Youth Olympic Games.

The torch will now travel across Senegal in a nationwide relay covering approximately 3,600 kilometres. More than 400 torchbearers are expected to take part as the flame visits all 14 regions before returning to Dakar for the Games’ opening ceremony.

Dakar 2026 will bring together around 2,700 athletes aged 15 to 18 from around the world. Competitions will be staged in Dakar and nearby locations including Diamniadio and Saly.

The event carries significance well beyond sport. Africa has never previously hosted an Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games, making Dakar 2026 a landmark occasion for the continent’s sporting movement. International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, who is from Zimbabwe, described the event as an important moment for Senegal and Africa.

The torch relay is also intended to connect communities across Senegal with the Games through sporting, cultural and educational activities. Schools and young people are expected to play an important role during the nationwide celebration.

When the flame returns to Dakar, it will be used to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony on October 31. The Youth Olympic Games will then continue through November 13, creating a historic chapter in both Senegalese and African sporting history.