Burkina Faso is gearing up for a celebration of sport and solidarity as the second edition of the Sahel States Alliance Games (JAES) is set to take place in Ouagadougou from 7 to 16 September 2026.
Approximately 540 athletes, coaches, and officials from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are expected in the Burkinabè capital. According to the organisers, the delegation will include 376 athletes alongside 164 coaches and officials. These figures were announced on Saturday 5 September during a press conference held at the Stade du 4-Août.
Eleven disciplines on the programme
Competitors from the three member states of the Sahel States Confederation will vie for honours in eleven sports, including athletics, boxing, cycling, football, handball, judo, karate, kung-fu wushu, wrestling, taekwondo, and archery.
The events will take place at various venues across the capital, notably 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 arrangements for reception and security
Delegations are scheduled to arrive in Ouagadougou on 5 and 6 September, with departure planned for 17 September. The official opening ceremony is set for Tuesday 8 September at 9 a.m. at the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000.
Furthermore, the authorities have confirmed that all competition and accommodation sites have undergone thorough checks and security measures. Special provisions have also been implemented to facilitate the reception and movement of delegations, as well as to ensure safety around the sports venues.
Sport as a bridge for brotherhood
Under the high patronage of the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, this second edition of the JAES is intended to be much more than a sporting event. The organisers aim to harness sport as a means of bringing the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger closer together.
The event is also presented 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 calling on the population, especially residents of Ouagadougou, to turn out in force to cheer on the athletes and make these Games a true popular festival marked by fraternity and sharing.
