Guide for parents of athletes at Dakar 2026

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Parents of athletes at Dakar 2026: where to stay near the venues, getting between Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, money, health, safety and tips to support your teenager without adding stress.

Guide for parents of athletes at Dakar 2026

Is your teenager heading to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, running from 31 October to 13 November? This guide for parents of athletes aged 15 to 18 covers what matters most: where to stay near the venues, how to get between Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, money, health, staying in touch, and how to support your child without adding pressure.

Where to stay: match your base to the venue

Start with your child's sport, because competitions are split across three hubs.

  • Dakar: Complexe Tour de l'Œuf hosts 3x3 basketball, Baseball5, breaking, swimming and skateboarding; Complexe Iba Mar Diop in Médina hosts athletics, boxing, futsal and rugby sevens; road cycling takes place on the Corniche Ouest. Plateau, Point E, Mermoz and Sacré-Cœur are central and convenient.
  • Diamniadio: Dakar Arena (badminton, futsal finals), the Centre des Expositions (artistic gymnastics, fencing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, wushu), the equestrian centre and Stade Abdoulaye Wade (archery). Staying on site saves you the motorway traffic; Rufisque, on the TER line, is another option.
  • Saly: Saly plage ouest hosts beach handball, beach volleyball, beach wrestling, coastal rowing, triathlon and sailing. If your child competes there, stay on the Petite Côte rather than commuting.

Book early and browse the hotels and stays in Dakar listed on SeneFinder. A furnished apartment typically costs somewhere between 25,000 and 70,000 FCFA a night, depending on the area and comfort level.

Getting around Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly

The TER regional express train is your best friend for Diamniadio. It runs from Dakar station in Plateau through stops such as Colobane, Hann, Pikine, Thiaroye, Rufisque, Bargny and Diamniadio, then on to AIBD airport. Note that Almadies, Ngor, Parcelles Assainies, Guédiawaye and Keur Massar are not on the line, so plan a taxi to the nearest station.

Saly is about 80 km from Dakar, roughly 1 h 15 to 2 h on the toll motorway depending on traffic. Avoid peak hours and leave a generous buffer on competition days.

Money, health and staying connected

  • Money: Visa is the most widely accepted foreign card, in hotels, supermarkets, malls and many restaurants in Dakar and the Saly resorts. Cash in FCFA is still essential for markets, taxis and small shops. ATMs are the easiest way to get it; bureaux de change are mostly at the airport and in central Dakar, and scarce in smaller towns. Yango and Heetch are paid in cash or through Wave or Orange Money, not by card, and both mobile wallets require a Senegalese SIM and ID.
  • Health: late October and November are still hot and humid. Pack sunscreen, a hat, a mosquito repellent and drink bottled water. See a travel clinic before leaving.
  • Staying connected: a local SIM card is cheap and makes life easier. Agree on a fixed time each day to talk with your child and their team staff, instead of a constant stream of messages.

Supporting your athlete without adding stress

Your teenager will live on the team's schedule: meals, training, recovery. That routine exists to help them perform, so respect it.

  • Let the coach handle the sport; your job is emotional support.
  • Keep visits short right before an event.
  • After a disappointing result, listen first and save the analysis for later.

Following the programme and staying safe

Session times and tickets are handled by the organizing committee, so rely only on its official website or app, and double check everything the day before. Dakar is a welcoming city, but keep valuables out of sight in crowds. Save the emergency numbers: 17 for police, 18 for the fire brigade and 1515 for SAMU medical emergencies.

Recommended addresses on SeneFinder

To widen your search, see all addresses in this category or explore the Dakar directory.

Useful tools

Frequently asked questions

Where should I stay if my child competes in Diamniadio?

Staying in Diamniadio itself is easiest, or near a TER station such as Rufisque or Plateau.

How do I get from Dakar to Saly during the Games?

It is about 80 km on the toll motorway, roughly 1 h 15 to 2 h depending on traffic. Leave early.

Where can I find event schedules and tickets?

Only on the official website or app of the Dakar 2026 organizing committee.