Nine will bring the next generation of Olympic talent to Australian screens this weekend, with the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games set to be broadcast live and free across 9Now and 9Go!.
The Dakar 2026 Games begin on Sunday, November 1, marking the first time the Olympic movement has staged a Games in Africa, with 2,700 athletes from 207 participating National Olympic Committees competing across 25 sports over 14 days.
Australia will be represented by a team of 41 athletes aged 17 and under, competing across 16 sports, with the squad comprising 29 females and 12 males. Beach volleyball player Thomas Turner and coastal rower Camilla “Millie” Griffin will lead the Australian team as its flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony.
Rugby sevens has the largest contingent in the Australian team, with Darci Turinui, daughter of former Wallabies player Morgan Turinui, part of the 12-player women’s squad, while Peyton Fakaosilea will also follow a family connection to the Olympic stage, with her sister Alysia having represented Australia at Tokyo 2020.
World No. 1-ranked cadet foil fencer Rianne Leung is among three Australian athletes attending an Olympic Pathway School, alongside rugby players Ellazae Elers and Keira Callaghan, who both attend Hunter Sports High School.
The Youth Olympic Games have previously featured several Australians who went on to achieve success at senior Olympic level, including Jess Fox, Emma McKeon, Kyle Chalmers and Kaylee McKeown, with the Dakar competition providing another opportunity for emerging athletes to experience the international stage.
With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics less than two years away and Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, the Games will give Australia’s next generation of sporting talent an early taste of the Olympic experience.
How to watch the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games on Nine
Nine’s coverage will be spread across 9Now and 9Go!, with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and daily highlights available on the television channel, while 9Now will provide selected live sporting coverage through a dedicated Youth Olympic Channel.
The Opening Ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 1, with coverage scheduled from 4.25am AEDT, followed by daily highlights at 2.30pm from Monday, November 2, through to Friday, November 13.
The dedicated 9Now Youth Olympic Channel will begin streaming selected events from Friday, October 30, ahead of the official Opening Ceremony, with viewers encouraged to check 9Now for the latest event listings.
Here is Nine’s full viewing guide for the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games.
9Go! Viewing Guide:
| Date | Coverage | Time (AEDT) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Nov 1 | Opening Ceremony | 4.25am – 6.00am | 9Go! & 9Now |
| Mon Nov 2 | Day 1 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Tue Nov 3 | Day 2 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Wed Nov 4 | Day 3 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Thu Nov 5 | Day 4 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Fri Nov 6 | Day 5 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Sat Nov 7 | Day 6 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Sun Nov 8 | Day 7 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Mon Nov 9 | Day 8 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Tue Nov 10 | Day 9 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Wed Nov 11 | Day 10 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Thu Nov 12 | Day 11 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Fri Nov 13 | Day 12 Highlights Show | 2.30pm | 9Go! |
| Sat Nov 14 | Closing Ceremony | 4.00am – 4.30am | 9Go! & 9Now |
All times AEDT.
9Now Live Channel Viewing Guide
| Date | Session | Featured sports | Time (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri Oct 30 | Day -1 – Session 1 | Baseball and Softball | 9.00pm |
| Sat Oct 31 | Day -1 – Session 2 | Baseball and Softball | 2.00am – 4.45am |
| Sat Oct 31 | Day 0 | Volleyball, Table Tennis followed by Baseball and Softball | 7.25pm |
| Sun Nov 1 | Day 1 | Judo Finals, Volleyball followed by Judo finals | 8.55pm |
| Mon Nov 2 | Day 2 | Badminton, Rugby 7s and Table Tennis | 7.55pm |
| Tue Nov 3 | Day 3 | Rugby 7s finals, Volleyball then more Rugby 7s finals | 8.25pm |
| Wed Nov 4 | Day 4 | Badminton, Skateboarding and Volleyball | 7.55pm |
| Thu Nov 5 | Day 5 | Table Tennis, Skateboarding and Badminton | 8.55pm |
| Fri Nov 6 | Day 6 – Session 1 | Equestrian and Aquatics | 7.55pm |
| Fri Nov 6 | Day 6 – Session 2 | Aquatics | 2.25am |
| Sat Nov 7 | Day 7 | Gymnastics and Boxing | 8.55pm |
| Sun Nov 8 | Day 8 | Cycling and Athletics | 7.55pm |
| Mon Nov 9 | Day 9 | Gymnastics, Athletics | 9.25pm |
| Tue Nov 10 | Day 10 | Fencing, Athletics | 7.55pm |
| Wed Nov 11 | Day 11 | Fencing, Boxing and Gymnastics Finals | 7.55pm |
| Thu Nov 12 | Day 12 | Boxing Finals and Fencing | 10.55pm |
| Fri Nov 13 | Day 13 | Fencing | 7.55pm |
All times AEDT. Selected live events will be available through the dedicated 9Now Youth Olympic Channel.
