Alibaba Cloud has announced it will be providing its cloud and AI solutions to power the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.
As the very first Olympic sporting event to take place in Africa, the announcement was made in Hangzhou, China, during a signing ceremony with the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (YOGOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Set to be held in Senegal from October 31 to November 13 across Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly, Dakar 2026 will gather 2,700 of the world’s best young athletes, all aged 17 or under, competing in 35 sports. As the official cloud service provider of the IOC, Alibaba Cloud aims to support the Games’ digital transformation by delivering infrastructure that boosts operational efficiency and fan engagement, while creating a lasting technological legacy for the African sports community.
IOC Head of Youth Olympic Games Technology & Energy Antoine Azokly said the integration of Alibaba Cloud’s technology reflects a shared commitment to making Olympic events more efficient, sustainable, and engaging, while Dakar 2026 General Coordinator Ibrahima Wade added that the partnership is a crucial step toward hosting a technologically advanced and seamlessly operated Games that will benefit Senegal and Africa long after the event.
Under the partnership, YOGOC will deploy Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Stack private cloud solution to host the Games’ core IT systems, enabling secure, scalable, and high-performance operations. This platform will power everything from planning and logistics to post-event activities, while enhancing fan experiences.
The Chinese giant will also provide digital flame services, leveraging AI and cloud technologies to deliver immersive, dynamic visual experiences for audiences worldwide.
