The country is set to inaugurate the Maiden African School Games, an event that will bring together 3,000 young athletes from 53 countries across the continent, from July 26 to August 5, under the patronage of President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and with the support of the IOC, as well as other entities.
This is an unprecedented event for African sport, as it marks the first time that a competition of such magnitude is organised exclusively for schoolchildren from the continent. The aim of the Games is clear and ambitious: to offer a unique platform for the identification, training and development of young talents, while instilling values of excellence, solidarity and fraternity, fundamental pillars of the Olympic Movement.
As the ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf, expressed, “These Games are more than just a competition : they are a real investment in the future of African sport. They seek to identify and support the champions of tomorrow, but also to promote education through sport, social inclusion and peace among the peoples of the continent.”
International support for this initiative has been crucial. The International Olympic Committee and the International School Sport Federation have joined as strategic partners of ANOCA in this ambitious project serving African youth. The International Olympic Committee has integrated these Games into its global strategy to develop youth sport, identify talent and promote Olympic values. This collaboration forms part of the organisation’s efforts to provide African youth with tangible prospects, training programmes and pathways to excellence, in line with other major events such as the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
To date, 48 African nations have confirmed their participation, a record number for an inaugural edition, clearly illustrating the strong determination and commitment of national olympic committees to develop grassroots sport. This confidence placed in Algeria to carry out a project of such scope also demonstrates the shared will to invest in the continent’s future.
The 2025 African School Games will help identify and prepare the next generation of athletes ahead of the African Youth Games and the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games. They will also aim to promote a wide range of sports disciplines and open up new opportunities for emerging talent, while integrating educational and civic values through sport, in line with the vision of ANOCA and the IOC.
Beyond the competition, these Games are presented as a genuine laboratory of social innovation. They reflect ANOCA and its partners’ commitment to using sport as a tool for social cohesion, the prevention of exclusion and the transmission of values such as respect and equity. Under the banner of unity and solidarity, the event aims to leave Africa with a lasting legacy by integrating school sport into national development
