Samsung Champions Young Olympians at Dakar 2026, First-Ever Olympic Event on African Continent

Samsung Electronics, a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, today announced that it is bringing Galaxy technology and athlete-centered programming to the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 to enrich the experience of young athletes during an important stage in their Olympic journeys.

Taking place in Senegal from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, Dakar 2026 is bringing together more than 2,700 young athletes from 207 countries across 25 sports. It also marks a historic milestone as the first Olympic sporting event to be held on the African continent. Additionally, Samsung is drawing on nearly four decades of experience within the Olympic Movement to further strengthen its commitment to the Youth Olympic Games, which dates back to the inaugural edition, Singapore 2010.

“The Youth Olympic Games represent an important stage in a young athlete’s journey — where competition, connection, and personal growth come together,” said Stephanie Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand Center at Samsung Electronics. “At Dakar 2026, we are committed to bringing the Games to more people and enriching the experience for the athletes who take part through purposeful Galaxy innovation and programs designed around their needs.”

Helping Power the Youth Olympic Games: Bringing Galaxy Innovation to Dakar 2026

Having introduced sports technology integrations at Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026, Samsung is now bringing these innovations to the Youth Olympic Games for the first time.

Galaxy S26 Ultra devices are being incorporated into skateboarding and taekwondo coverage alongside existing broadcast cameras, enabling handheld, close-up, and vertical perspectives that can complement traditional production. Dakar 2026 is also serving as an opportunity to test and learn from these applications as Samsung continues exploring how mobile technology can support future Games experiences — including on the road to the LA28 Games.

The Olympic Victory Selfie is making its Youth Olympic Games debut at Dakar 2026, extending a program that has become an iconic expression of athlete celebration at the Olympic and Paralympic Games since its debut at Paris 2024. Centered on connection, emotion, and self-expression, Victory Selfie gives athletes a more personal way to capture and share the moments that define their journey.

Using Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition devices, medalists across disciplines will have the opportunity to commemorate their winning moments as part of Victory Selfie activations around medal ceremonies to create lasting memories of their achievement that are sharable with friends, family, and supporters around the world.

Supporting Athlete Journeys: Enriching the Games-Time Experience for Young Olympians

At the Samsung Open Station inside the Youth Olympic Village, Samsung is creating a welcoming, relaxed space where athletes can step away from competition, meet peers from around the world, and explore new ways to express themselves through Galaxy technology. Inspired by Dakar’s coastal environment, the space brings together interactive activities designed to help athletes celebrate their individuality, create lasting memories, and reflect on where their journeys may take them next. These activities include:

• Victory Talk — Athletes can capture their Dakar 2026 experience through a short-form video built around casual questions about themselves, their time at the Games, and their aspirations for the future.
• Victory Wall — Using Galaxy devices, athletes can transform their photos into personalized Olympic-themed characters and posters, celebrating their individuality and creativity.
• Victory Photo Zone — Athletes can recreate the excitement of a medal ceremony moment by capturing and sharing the excitement of standing on the podium.
• Community Lounge — A relaxed social space where athletes can connect with one another, play a Dakar-themed mobile skateboarding game, personalize keepsakes, and discover Galaxy Tips designed to help them get more from their devices.
• Mentoring Session: Beyond the Medal — A mentoring session where Olympians and IOC Athlete Role Models help young athletes shape their lives beyond competition.

Samsung’s Commitment to the Olympic Games: Bringing Dakar 2026 Closer to Local Communities

Dakar 2026 marks a milestone as both the first Olympic sporting event held on the African continent and as a new chapter in Samsung’s support of the Youth Olympic Games, which dates back to Singapore 2010. Alongside its athlete-facing programs, Samsung is extending the excitement of the Games into communities across Senegal through local media, digital, retail, and consumer activations designed to help more people take part in the excitement of Dakar 2026.

Out-of-home campaigns will spotlight Dakar 2026 — and Samsung’s programming — across key locations in Dakar and Senegal while Samsung consumer experience zones will bring the excitement of the Youth Olympic Games into local communities. This will give fans opportunities to explore Galaxy technology, take part in interactive sports and AI-powered challenges, and create their own Olympic-inspired moments.

Samsung is also working with domestic partners on their retail initiatives for Dakar 2026, including special Galaxy offers and in-store activations, while a citywide pin program spanning Samsung locations will encourage consumers to explore the Games and participate in Samsung experiences throughout Dakar.

Together, these programs extend Samsung’s commitment to the Olympic Games beyond the competition venues — supporting young athletes at the center of the Games while creating more ways for local fans and communities to experience and celebrate this historic moment.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner since the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998. For over 25 years, athletes and fans have trusted Samsung’s transformative mobile technology to share the Olympic spirit globally and help to shape the digital future of the Olympic Games. The company’s commitment to the Olympic Movement soon faces its fourth decade of partnership and extends through the LA28 Games. Samsung’s purposeful innovations in the wireless communications and computing equipment category, including equipment that features artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and 5G will help to change the way the world experiences the Olympic Games.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Youth Olympic Games

Samsung has supported the Youth Olympic Games since the inaugural Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, accompanying young athletes as they take on new challenges and begin their Olympic journeys. At Dakar 2026, Samsung continues that commitment by using Galaxy technology and athlete-focused experiences to help the next generation connect, create, and share their stories on the Olympic stage.