Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 5, 2026: The United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee is ramping up preparations for the 4th Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
The UAE NOC held a meeting with national sports associations on Wednesday, April 1, to discuss preparations for the first Olympic event to be hosted on the African continent.
The NOC stated that the Emirates contingent will be the largest in terms of sports, backed by the outstanding results over the past few months, highlighted by the eighth place finish in the medal standings at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain last year.
UAE’s young athletes won a total of 31 medals in Bahrain, comprised of 12 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze, and the team bound for Dakar will comprise most of these athletes.
The technical and medical aspects to ensure the readiness of the athletes were also reviewed at the meeting, and it was agreed that discussions be held as to how many berths will be available in each sport in coordination with the international governing bodies.
The Youth Olympic Games will feature 153 events across 25 sports, and will be the first YOG to achieve full gender equality.