The Olympic flame for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be lit and handed over during a ceremony at Athens’ iconic Panathenaic Stadium on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m., with public entry free of charge. Spectators must arrive by 11:20 a.m. The event will also be broadcast live by Greece’s public broadcaster, ERT.
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry will attend the ceremony.
The event carries particular symbolism as it will be the first event held at the Panathenaic Stadium while work is underway to replace its track surface and clean its marble surfaces.
A ceremony linking Olympic traditions
The Youth Olympic Games follow a separate protocol under which the lighting and handover of the Olympic flame take place during the same ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium.
The Panathenaic Stadium, also known as the Kallimarmaro, is an important symbol of modern Olympic history and will once again serve as a meeting point between Greece’s Olympic tradition and a new generation of athletes from around the world.
The artistic direction and choreography for the ceremonial priestesses will be overseen by Artemis Ignatiou. Actress Katerina Misichroni will take on the role of High Priestess for the first time.
The ceremony’s music will be composed by Marios Joannou Elia, while the costumes for the priestesses have been designed by internationally recognized Greek fashion designer Mary Katrantzou.
Sports journalist Penelope Gkioni will host the ceremony, representing a new generation of journalists and bringing a contemporary perspective to the event.
Greek and Senegalese performances
The artistic program will open with Greece’s national cheerleading team. The Aposperides, European champions in 2025 and 2026 in the Cheer Hip Hop category, and the Amazons, who have earned major international distinctions in Cheer Pom, will perform.
Senegal, the host country of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, will be represented by singer Kya Loum, who will present a live cultural performance and sing Senegal’s national anthem.
The ceremony will also feature 18 young athletes from the Lavrio Sports Club, who will carry the flags.
Athena Andreadis will perform the Olympic anthem, while Greece’s national anthem will be performed by the ROSARTE children’s and youth choir, conducted by Rozi Mastrosava
The ceremony will be coordinated by Dr. Konstantinos Pantazis, under the supervision of Thomas Toka, president of the Olympic Torch Relay Committee.
Flame begins journey to Senegal
The president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Isidoros Kouvelos, will hand the flame to Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, president of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
The handover will mark the beginning of the flame’s journey to Senegal.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
The event will have historic significance as the African continent will host the Olympic Games for the first time.
