The Scores Report #2 - Dakar gets ready for Youth Olympics 2026

The Kick Off: Happy Monday and welcome back to The Scores Report brought to you by Africa Scores and distributed by AFROBALLERS. We are excited to share this revamped version of our newsletter with you. 

Here’s the game plan for today: 

• The 3-pointer: Top 3 news in the business of sports in Africa you should know about 

• The Midfield: Sindiswa’s breakdown of how sponsors played a key role in the Bafana Bafana’s return to the World Cup 

• The Score Board: Upcoming events and job opportunities in the industry

THE 3-POINTER

🗽 Omega Sports Holding takes NY

The African sports-focused private equity vehicle was an official sponsor at the Sportico Invest in Sports event. Speaking on a Youth Sports panel, Omega’s Chairman Cheick Sanankoua shared his vision of building a sports ownership group centered around African talent. Why it matters:  When looking at opportunities to invest in sports, Africa is not at all top of mind for global investors. That is why investing in building relationships with these very investors is crucial: our industry does not lack opportunities but notoriety and champions. 

📺 CAF locks in new media rights deal

The Confederation of African Football announced  SuperSport as the official broadcasters for the next AFCON in anglophone and lusophone countries:  a partnership expected to boost visibility, revenue, and production quality across the continent for Africa’s largest competition. Why it matters: At the last AFCON, SuperSport had initially announced that it would not broadcast the competition, causing uproar among fans in some of the largest African economies such as Nigeria and South Africa. This new deal, which occurred right after the $3 billion acquisition of Multichoice by French media group CANAL+ is the right step forward to ensure that the tournament reaches more fans.

🍛 Battle of Jollof returns

The highly anticipated Battle of Jollof event return to New York this past week, bringing together Nigerian and Ghanaian teams and fans, for a celebration of basketball, culture, and diaspora pride. This year, Nigeria brought home the W with coach Arike Ogunbowale.  Why it matters: The African diaspora is known to be an economic force (in 2024, the remittances sent by the diaspora surpassed development finance and foreign aid by reaching $100 billion). One of the biggest opportunities in African sports is to connect the diaspora around sports content and the founders of Battle of Jollof understood it well.

The Midfield with Sindiswa

THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATION BEHIND THE DAKAR 2026 YOUTH OLYMPICS

Hi, I'm Sindiswa! I'm excited to take over our newsletter’s center piece where I’ll dive into a recent news in African sports with a business angle. Want to pitch me a story ? Write to us at [email protected] 

As Dakar, Senegal, prepares to host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG), Africa’s first Olympic event, the country is demonstrating that sport can drive strategic economic growth. With 2,700 athletes and over a million visitors expected, Dakar 2026 represents a high-stakes investment in infrastructure, tourism, sponsorship, and urban development, setting a benchmark for measurable financial and social returns from major events on the continent.

Public-Private Collaboration Driving Africa’s Sports Transformation

Hosting the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games represents a major strategic investment for Senegal and for Africa’s growing sports economy. According to Senenews (October 2024), Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture Khady Diène Gaye confirmed that the government has already mobilized 13.2 billion CFA francs, with an additional 5 billion in progress, totaling 18.2 billion CFA francs of the 36 billion CFA francs host contract (≈US$29 million of US$57 million).

Major infrastructure projects, including the Olympic swimming pool, Stade Iba Mar Diop, and the surrounding park, are being financed through a 39.36 billion CFA franc loan (≈$70 million) from the French Development Agency (AFD), part of a six-year development program running through 2028. The government also projects 3.6 billion CFA francs (≈$6.3 million) from ticketing and commercial sales, plus 7.5 billion CFA francs (≈$13 million) in donations from international organizations, establishing a clear, diversified financial roadmap for the Games.

On the corporate side, Air Senegal, Sococim Industries, and Orange (Sonatel) serve as official partners, providing logistical, material, and telecommunications support. These local partnerships complement the Global Olympic Partner (TOP) network, featuring Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Omega, P&G, Samsung, TCL, and Visa, whose activations and sponsorships extend the Games’ marketing and operational capacity.

By aligning state, private, and international actors under measurable commitments, Dakar 2026 showcases how public-private collaboration can deliver both commercial and social value. It demonstrates that Africa is moving beyond grassroots participation into a scalable, investable sports ecosystem, offering credible opportunities across infrastructure, tourism, media, and event management. The model now emerging in Senegal provides a replicable blueprint for other major African events, from PFL Africa to Basketball Africa League (BAL) seasons and CAF tournaments.

Infrastructures as an asset class

Senegal is treating sports infrastructure for Dakar 2026 as a long-term strategic investment. Venues, transport networks, and hospitality facilities are being upgraded not only for the Games but for post-Games use, including domestic leagues, regional tournaments, and private academies. Major works include the renovation of Stade Iba Mar Diop and surrounding facilities, as well as improvements to connectivity between Dakar, Diamniadio, Saly, and Mbour. 

The government is also prioritizing social impact, implementing professional reintegration programs for communities affected by construction. Around Stade Iba Mar Diop, artisans and small business owners, such as shoemakers are being compensated through a government allocation of approximately 2 billion CFA francs (~$3.08 million) for the roughly 1,300 people. They will also benefit from the creation of “La Maison du Cuir” in Médina, which provides training, production space, and exhibition zones for leather workers impacted by the renovations.

By combining venue modernization, improved urban connectivity, and targeted local support, Senegal is creating infrastructure that moves beyond the “white elephant” narrative. The facilities are positioned as platforms for ongoing revenue generation, urban renewal, and brand activation, offering measurable long-term ROI for investors while fostering commercial opportunities for sports tech incubators and private academies.

To ensure the long-term value and transparency of these investments, the Senegalese Organizing Committee has partnered with the National Agency of Statistics and Demography to track the Games’ economic, social, and environmental impact. This evidence-based approach enhances investor confidence, aligns with modern Environmental, Social, and Governance standards, and provides metrics to inform future event planning and investment decisions across Africa.

By combining venue modernization, improved urban connectivity, targeted local support, and data-driven governance, Senegal is creating infrastructure that moves beyond the “white elephant” narrative. The facilities are positioned as platforms for ongoing revenue generation, urban renewal, and brand activation, offering measurable long-term ROI for investors while fostering commercial opportunities for sports tech incubators and private academies.

Beyond the Games

Dakar 2026 serves as a proof of concept for Africa’s ability to structure, finance, and commercialize large-scale sporting events. Senegal’s approach combines government funding, international development loans, and corporate sponsorships into a cohesive investment framework designed to deliver measurable returns across infrastructure, tourism, and innovation. By embedding social impact programs and ESG metrics into project delivery, the Games illustrate how public-private capital can generate long-term value rather than one-off expenditure. 

More broadly, Dakar 2026 provides practical lessons for transforming major sporting events into sustainable business models, offering insights in financing, partnerships, infrastructure, and impact measurement that can guide future projects across the continent.

The Score Board: Events and Jobs in the industry 

Current opportunities opening

Sports Science Institute of South Africa recruiting for a Senior Information & Technology Officer. Click here for more information. 

FIFA is hiring interns in Kigali, Rwanda for young professionals passionate about football governance and event operations. Gain global exposure while contributing to FIFA’s programs across Africa. More information here 

Want to feature an event or a job in our newsletter ? It’s free. Write to us: [email protected] 

A Final Note

SCORE WITH US

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Until Monday after next,