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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/International Olympic Committee) |
Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, recently announced to power the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 (“Dakar 2026”) — the first Olympic sporting event to be held in Africa — with its proven cloud and AI technologies. Dakar 2026, as the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games, will take place in Senegal, the first country on the African continent to be awarded the honor of hosting an Olympic sports event.
As the official cloud service provider of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Alibaba Cloud is committed to supporting the digital transformation of the Olympic Games, delivering a future-ready digital foundation that enhances the operational efficiency and fan engagement of the Youth Olympic Games. The initiative was announced during a signing ceremony in Hangzhou, China, among Alibaba Cloud, the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (YOGOC), and the IOC. IOC's Head of Youth Olympic Games Technology & Energy Antoine Azokly said, “As a result of our ongoing partnership, the integration of Alibaba Cloud’s proven AI and cloud technology into Dakar 2026 exemplifies our shared commitment to making the Olympic events more efficient, sustainable, and engaging. This collaboration will not only benefit the Youth Olympic Games but also leave a lasting digital legacy for sport in Africa.”
Dakar 2026 YOGOC General Coordinator Ibrahima Wade said, “As we prepare to host Africa’s first Olympic event, partnering with Alibaba Cloud marks a crucial step in our journey to deliver a technologically advanced and seamlessly operated Youth Olympic Games. The implementation of Alibaba Cloud’s digital technologies across our core services will not only ensure efficient Games operations but also create a lasting technological legacy that will benefit Senegal and the African sporting community long after the Games conclude.” Under the partnership, the Dakar 2026 Organizing Committee will deploy Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Stack, a comprehensive private cloud solution, to build a secure, scalable, and high-performance infrastructure for the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026. The platform will serve as the core IT infrastructure, hosting digital applications and services required for the planning, operation, logistics, and post-event activities for the Dakar 2026, enabling enhanced fan experiences and streamlined event logistics. Notably, Alibaba Cloud will support Dakar 2026 with digital flame services, leveraging its latest AI and cloud technologies to create dynamic, immersive visual experiences for global audiences and sports fans.
The Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 will be held on October 31-November 13, 2026 across three host cities in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly. The Games will bring together over 2,700 of the world’s best young athletes with a maximum age of 17 years old. A total of 35 sports will feature on the YOG programme including 25 competition sports and 10 engagement sports disciplines.
