Burkina Faso is set to pulse with the energy of sport and fellowship as Ouagadougou hosts the second edition of the Alliance of Sahel States Games (JAES) from 7 to 16 September 2026.
Around 540 athletes, coaches, and officials from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are expected in the Burkinabè capital. Organisers say the delegation will include 376 competitors and 164 support staff, with these figures revealed on Saturday 5 September during a press conference at the Stade du 4-Août.
Eleven sports on the programme
Competitors from the three member states of the Confederation of Sahel States will vie for honours across eleven disciplines: athletics, boxing, cycling, football, handball, judo, karate, kung-fu wushu, wrestling, taekwondo, and archery.
Events will be spread across several venues in the capital, including the Stade du 4-Août, the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000, the CNOSB martial arts hall, the National Medico-Sports Centre, Boulevard Capitaine Isidore-Noël-Thomas-Sankara, and the Hamdalaye Hippodrome.
Enhanced welcome and security measures
Delegations are scheduled to arrive in Ouagadougou on 5 and 6 September, with departures set for 17 September. The official opening ceremony is slated for Tuesday 8 September at 9 a.m. at the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000.
Authorities confirm that all competition and accommodation sites have undergone security checks and protective measures. Special arrangements have been made to ease the reception and movement of delegations, as well as to secure the perimeters of sports venues.
Sport as a bridge for fraternity
Under the high patronage of the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, this second JAES edition aims to transcend mere athletic rivalry. Organisers envision sport as a powerful means to foster closer ties among the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The event is also seen as a catalyst for boosting economic and tourist activity in Ouagadougou, while nurturing the growth of national and sub-regional sports movements.
With the kick-off just hours away, authorities are urging the public — especially residents of Ouagadougou — to turn out in force to cheer the athletes and transform the Games into a vibrant popular festival marked by fraternity and sharing.
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