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Africa Seeks First Sevens Rugby Podium Finish At First Olympic Event On The Continent

Six African teams will compete at Dakar 2026, as hosts Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Madagascar look to make their mark on the Olympic stage.

DAKAR, Senegal – The 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) event to be held in Africa, will mark the third appearance of sevens rugby in the event’s history.

How fitting, therefore, that Africa should be looking to secure its first medal in this showcase when it gets underway in the Senegalese capital from 31 October to 13 November 2026.

Africa is represented by six teams, with hosts Senegal the only nation to field a side in both the women’s and men’s categories.

Fédération Sénégalaise de Rugby Communications Officer Madiagne Niang said:

“We have the responsibility to make this participation a true legacy for future generations, by giving these young players the means to continue their development long after the Games.”

In the men’s section, Senegal have been drawn in Pool A alongside South Africa, Germany and Canada.

They are also in Pool A in the women’s category, together with Kenya, China and Australia.

“Our ambition goes beyond sporting results alone,” remarked Niang.

“Of course, we want both our teams to be competitive, to defend Senegal’s colours with dignity and to give their best against the top nations. But our main objective is to build for the future.”

Senegal’s fellow Africans in the men’s event, global giants South Africa, were among the first countries to announce their 12-man squad for the Dakar showdown.

The Under-17 side is made up entirely of schoolboy players drawn from some of the country’s best rugby-playing schools.

Former Springbok Sevens player and coach Sandile Ngcobo was appointed head coach.

“Players were monitored through the FNB Youth Weeks and SA Schools programmes, while we also keep an eye on leading fixtures, tournaments such as North-South and Wildeklawer tournaments, as well as other major rugby festivals and competitions staged throughout South Africa,” Ngcobo told the SARugby website.

The other African side in the men’s event, Uganda, are pooled in Pool B. They will face Argentina, Japan and France.

“My preparation is mainly focused on developing skilled and disciplined young players who understand the principles of high-level Sevens rugby,” said Uganda head coach Peter Ochol.

“Our goal in Dakar is not to participate but to compete, execute our game-plan, represent our country with pride and win. We want this tournament to be a platform for our players to gain international experience, develop confidence and create a strong foundation for the next generation.”

The Ugandans’ neighbours, Kenya, are represented by their women’s side, placed in Pool A with the hosts, China and Australia.

“The team has been selected from across the country and has been undergoing a series of training camps in preparation for the tournament,” the Kenya Rugby Union said in a statement to Rugby Africa Media.

“They travelled to Tunisia for a solidarity training camp, which provided an important opportunity to strengthen their teamwork, build cohesion, and sharpen their competitiveness.

“As the Kenya Rugby Union, and indeed as a country, we have high expectations for this team. We believe they have the talent, commitment, and determination to perform exceptionally well and represent Kenya with pride. God willing, we look forward to seeing them bring home silverware and make the entire nation proud.

“We would like to acknowledge the support from NOCK (National Olympic Committee of Kenya) for providing support for the team in their preparations and travel.

“We wish the team the very best as they carry Kenya’s hopes and ambitions onto the international stage.”

The third women’s side from Africa is Madagascar, a country known for its electrifying style of sevens rugby.

Ando Niaina Herimahefa, the women’s rugby manager for the Malagasy Rugby Federation, wants the team to leave a mark in Dakar.

“Our goal for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar is to highlight the exceptional talent of our team,” Herimahefa told Rugby Africa Media.

“We aim not only to provide a platform for our young athletes to express their skills but also to allow them to gain valuable experience at an international level.

“Participating in this tournament represents a unique opportunity to compete against other talented teams while learning from each match. We firmly believe that this experience will help strengthen our team’s cohesion and develop the character and resilience of our players.

“Furthermore, this participation fully aligns with our preparation strategy for the upcoming Olympic Games. We hope that our athletes will be well-prepared and will have already proven themselves on the global stage, thus laying the foundations for a promising future for rugby in Madagascar.”

Women’s Teams

• Pool A
  • Australia
  • Kenya
  • China
  • Senegal
• Pool B
  • United States
  • Spain
  • Czechia
  • Madagascar

Men’s Teams

• Pool A
  • South Africa
  • Germany
  • Canada
  • Senegal

• Pool B
  • Argentina
  • France
  • Japan
  • Uganda 

Written by Enock Muchinjo