Burkina Faso is gearing up for a celebration of sport and unity as the second edition of the Alliance of Sahel States Games (JAES) is set to take place from 7 to 16 September 2026 in Ouagadougou.

Around 540 competitors, coaches and officials from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are expected in the Burkinabe capital. According to the organisers, the delegation will comprise 376 athletes and 164 support staff. The figures were released on Saturday 5 September during a press conference at the Stade du 4-Août.

Eleven disciplines on the programme

Athletes from the three member states of the Confederation of Sahel States will compete in eleven sports, including athletics, boxing, cycling, football, handball, judo, karate, kung-fu wushu, wrestling, taekwondo and archery.

The various events will be held 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 Sports Medical Centre, along Boulevard Capitaine Isidore-Noël-Thomas-Sankara and at the Hamdalaye Hippodrome.

Enhanced reception and security measures

The delegations are scheduled to arrive in Ouagadougou on 5 and 6 September, with their departure planned for 17 September. The official opening ceremony is set for Tuesday 8 September at 9:00 am at the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000.

Furthermore, the authorities have confirmed that all competition and accommodation sites have undergone inspections and security enhancements. Special arrangements have also been made to facilitate the reception and movement of delegations, as well as security around the sports venues.

Sport as a driver of fraternity

Under the high patronage of the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, this second edition of the JAES aims to be much more than a sporting event. The organisers hope to use sport as a means of bringing the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger closer together.

The event is also seen as an opportunity to boost economic and tourist activity in Ouagadougou, while contributing to the development of the national and sub-regional sports movement.

With the kick-off just hours away, the authorities are finally calling on the public, especially the residents of Ouagadougou, to turn out in force to support the athletes and turn these Games into a true popular celebration marked by fraternity and sharing.