Africa is stepping onto the Olympic stage in historic fashion, and the next generation of sporting talent is at the centre of it. The Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 is bringing together thousands of young athletes from across the world, marking the first Olympic event of any kind to take place on African soil.
Running from 31 October to 13 November 2026 in Senegal, the Games are welcoming more than 2,700 athletes from 207 countries across 25 sports. Beyond the competition, Dakar 2026 represents an important opportunity to showcase African sporting culture, connect young people and create new possibilities for the future of international sport.
Samsung Electronics is joining that journey as a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, bringing Galaxy technology and athlete-focused experiences to the Games.
But its involvement goes beyond putting devices in the hands of competitors. The company is exploring how mobile technology can change sports coverage, celebrate athletes’ achievements and bring local communities closer to the Olympic experience.
Dakar 2026 Brings a New Perspective to Action Sports
One of the more interesting technology developments at Dakar 2026 involves skateboarding and taekwondo coverage.
Samsung is introducing Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphones into sports production for the Youth Olympic Games for the first time. Working alongside traditional broadcast cameras, the devices will provide handheld, close-up and vertical filming perspectives.
For skateboarding, this creates an opportunity to capture competition from a different viewpoint.
Action sports are built around movement, technical execution and moments that can happen in a fraction of a second. From the speed of an approach to the precision of a trick and the landing that follows, the way an event is filmed can influence how audiences understand and experience the performance.
Mobile technology offers another way to get closer to the action, complementing conventional broadcast production with perspectives that can feel more immediate and personal.
The Dakar 2026 integration also gives Samsung an opportunity to test and learn how mobile technology could support future Olympic broadcasting experiences, including the journey towards the LA28 Games.
For a younger generation increasingly consuming sports through mobile platforms and vertical video, these developments reflect the changing relationship between live sport, technology and digital storytelling.
Celebrating the Athletes Behind the Medals
Competition results tell only part of an athlete’s story. Behind every podium finish are years of preparation, personal sacrifices and the people who helped make the achievement possible.
Samsung is bringing its Olympic Victory Selfie programme to the Youth Olympic Games for the first time, extending an initiative introduced at Paris 2024.
Using Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition devices, medallists across different sporting disciplines will have the opportunity to capture their winning moments around medal ceremonies.
The idea is simple but meaningful: allow athletes to document their achievements from their own perspective.
Rather than relying exclusively on official podium photography, Victory Selfie gives competitors another way to preserve and share moments with friends, family and supporters around the world.
For young athletes experiencing an international competition of this scale for the first time, those memories could become an important part of their sporting journeys.
Beyond the Competition: Creating Space for Young Athletes
The Youth Olympic Games also bring together young people from vastly different backgrounds, sporting disciplines and cultures.
Samsung is addressing this through its Open Station inside the Youth Olympic Village, creating a space where athletes can relax, connect and explore creative experiences away from competition.
The programme includes several interactive activities designed around individuality and self-expression.
Victory Talk gives athletes an opportunity to record short-form videos discussing their experiences, personal stories and future ambitions.
Through Victory Wall, participants can transform photographs into personalised Olympic-themed characters and posters, while the Victory Photo Zone allows them to recreate the excitement of standing on the podium.
The Community Lounge provides another opportunity to connect through games, personalised keepsakes and Galaxy technology experiences. A Dakar-themed mobile skateboarding game also brings an action-sports element into the social environment.
Importantly, the programme also looks beyond sporting achievements.
The Beyond the Medal mentoring session brings together Olympians and IOC Athlete Role Models to help young competitors consider their futures beyond the immediate pressure of competition.
It recognises that success in sport is not measured exclusively by medals. Personal development, relationships, education and life after competitive sport are equally important parts of an athlete’s journey.
Bringing the Olympic Experience Into Senegalese Communities
While the athletes remain at the heart of Dakar 2026, Samsung is also looking to extend the excitement beyond the sporting venues.
The company is rolling out local media, digital, retail and consumer activations across Senegal to encourage wider community participation.
Out-of-home campaigns will highlight the Games and Samsung’s involvement across key locations, while consumer experience zones will give local fans opportunities to explore Galaxy technology and participate in interactive sporting and AI-powered challenges.
Retail partnerships, special Galaxy offers and in-store activations will further connect the event with consumers.
A citywide pin programme spanning Samsung locations will also encourage people to explore different Samsung experiences throughout Dakar.
These initiatives reflect an important part of hosting a major international sporting event: making sure the excitement reaches the people and communities beyond the competition itself.
A Historic Moment for African Sport
Samsung’s involvement in Dakar 2026 builds on nearly four decades of participation in the Olympic Movement and its support for the Youth Olympic Games since their inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010.
For Stephanie Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand Centre at Samsung Electronics, the event represents an opportunity to support young athletes during a formative stage of their sporting journeys.
She described the Youth Olympic Games as an environment where competition, connection and personal growth come together, highlighting Samsung’s commitment to enriching the experience through Galaxy technology and athlete-centred programmes.
Ultimately, Dakar 2026 carries significance beyond the latest technological developments or the results on the field of play.
It is a defining moment for African sport, putting young talent, international collaboration and the continent’s sporting potential in the global spotlight.
For action sports such as skateboarding, the introduction of new filming perspectives also points towards an evolving relationship between athletes, audiences and the technology used to tell their stories.
As the next generation competes in Senegal, the bigger opportunity is to create experiences that last beyond the closing ceremony — inspiring young people, strengthening sporting communities and giving African sport an even bigger platform on the world stage.
