Key Takeaways
- More than 2,700 athletes from 207 countries are competing in 25 sports at the first Olympic event ever staged in Africa, according to Samsung.
- Galaxy S26 Ultra phones are shooting skateboarding and taekwondo next to broadcast cameras, the first time Samsung has used these sports tech integrations at a youth Games.
- The Victory Selfie program, launched at Paris 2024, makes its youth Olympic debut, with medalists using Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition devices at medal ceremonies.
- Samsung’s support of the youth Games dates to Singapore 2010, and its Worldwide Olympic Partner agreement runs through LA28.
Samsung Electronics is bringing smartphone-based broadcast coverage, its Olympic Victory Selfie program, and an athlete lounge to the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the company announced on November 2. The Games run from October 31 to November 13 in Senegal and, according to Samsung, include more than 2,700 athletes from 207 countries competing in 25 sports. It is the first Olympic sporting event held on the African continent.
Samsung, a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner since the Nagano 1998 Winter Games, said Dakar is the first time it has brought the sports technology integrations introduced at Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026 to the youth edition of the Games.
Galaxy Phones Join the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 Broadcast
According to Samsung, Galaxy S26 Ultra devices are being used in skateboarding and taekwondo coverage alongside existing broadcast cameras. The phones supply handheld, close-up, and vertical shots designed to complement traditional production rather than replace it.
The company described Dakar as a chance to test and learn from these applications as it explores how mobile technology can support future Games, including the LA28 Olympics. Skateboarding and taekwondo are the only two sports named in the deployment.
How Is Samsung Reaching Young Olympians at Dakar 2026?
The Olympic Victory Selfie, which Samsung introduced at Paris 2024, is making its Youth Olympic Games debut. Medalists across disciplines will use Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition devices during activations around medal ceremonies to capture and share their podium moments, the company said.
Inside the Youth Olympic Village, the Samsung Open Station gives athletes a place to step away from competition. Programming includes:
- Victory Talk: short-form videos built around questions about athletes’ time at the Games and future goals
- Victory Wall: athletes turn their photos into Olympic-themed characters and posters
- Victory Photo Zone: a recreated medal podium for photos
- Community Lounge: a social space with a Dakar-themed mobile skateboarding game and keepsake personalization
- Beyond the Medal: a mentoring session in which Olympians and IOC Athlete Role Models help young athletes plan for life after competition
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry visited the station and took a Victory Selfie with athletes from Team Senegal and Team Korea, according to Samsung.
Stephanie Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand Center at Samsung Electronics, said the company is focused on bringing “the Games to more people” and enriching the athlete experience “through purposeful Galaxy innovation and programs designed around their needs.”
Out-of-Home, Retail, and a Citywide Pin Program Across Senegal
Samsung’s activation extends beyond the venues. The company said out-of-home campaigns will run across key locations in Dakar and the rest of Senegal, while consumer experience zones will offer fans interactive sports and AI-powered challenges.
Samsung is also working with domestic retail partners on special Galaxy offers and in-store activations. A citywide pin program spanning Samsung locations is designed to pull consumers through multiple brand experiences during the Games.
From Singapore 2010 to a Dakar Test Run for LA28
Samsung has supported the Youth Olympic Games since the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010, and the company said its Olympic partnership is approaching its fourth decade and extends through the LA28 Games.
Dakar combines the full stack of Samsung’s senior-Games playbook, from broadcast integration and medal ceremony content to village programming and retail, at the youth level for the first time. The open question is which of the Dakar experiments, starting with phone cameras inside the skateboarding and taekwondo broadcasts, make the jump to Los Angeles in 2028.
Source: Samsung Global Newsroom, November 2, 2026, https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-champions-young-olympians-at-dakar-2026-first-ever-olympic-event-on-african-continent
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Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted media platform covering the business of youth sports worldwide. YSBR delivers youth sports news, market intelligence, and original analysis daily across facilities, sponsorships, private equity, NIL, sports technology, and league operations. With more than 50,000 followers, YSBR is the leading source of youth sports industry news for the investors, owners, operators, and brands shaping the future of youth sports.
How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
What does YSBR cover?
YSBR delivers original reporting and market intelligence on youth sports facilities, youth sports technology, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital deals, NIL policy, coaching development, equipment and apparel, tournaments and events, and community sports initiatives. Readers include industry executives, investors, facility owners and operators, league administrators, and youth sports parents.
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Hosted by Cameron Korab, founder of Youth Sports Business Report, Jr. Sports Marketing features candid 1-on-1 conversations with the brands, athletes, leagues, and innovators building the future of youth sports. Each episode breaks down how the smartest brands are activating, building equity, and winning with youth sports families. If you’re an operator, founder, investor, or marketer trying to understand where this space is headed, this is your show.
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
