Burkina Faso is set to pulse with the rhythm of sports and brotherhood as the second edition of the Alliance of Sahel States Games (JAES) kicks off in Ouagadougou from September 7 to 16, 2026.
Around 540 athletes, coaches, and officials from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are expected in the Burkinabe capital. Organisers say the delegation will include 376 athletes and 164 coaches and officials. The figures were announced on Saturday, September 5, 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 battle across eleven disciplines: athletics, boxing, cycling, football, handball, judo, karate, kung-fu wushu, wrestling, taekwondo, and archery.
The events will be staged at various sites across the capital, including the Stade du 4-Août, the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000, the CNOSB martial arts hall, the National Medical-Sports Centre, along Boulevard Capitaine Isidore-Noël-Thomas-Sankara, and at the Hamdalaye Hippodrome.
Enhanced reception and security measures
Delegations are scheduled to arrive in Ouagadougou on September 5 and 6, with departures set for September 17. The official opening ceremony is planned for Tuesday, September 8, at 9 a.m. at the Palais des Sports de Ouaga 2000.
Authorities confirm that all competition and accommodation venues have undergone thorough inspections and security reinforcement. Special arrangements are in place to facilitate the smooth reception and movement of delegations, along with heightened security around sports facilities.
Sports as a tool for unity
Under the high patronage of the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, this second JAES edition aims to go beyond mere competition. Organisers intend to use sports as a bridge to foster closer ties among the peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The event is also seen as a catalyst to boost 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 calling on the public, especially residents of Ouagadougou, to rally behind the athletes and turn the Games into a true festive celebration of solidarity and sharing.
