The second edition of the Youth Olympic Games to feature men’s and women’s beach handball – Dakar 2026 – throws off in the Senegal capital, Dakar on Monday (9 November).

All 16 teams (8 men’s, 8 women’s) will play two games each across two sessions, with a total of 16 games taking place across the three courts at the Saly Beach West (SBW) venue.

“Compete with passion, celebrate with respect and always play fair,” said IHF Beach Handball Working Group Chair Giampiero Masi on the eve of the event, “because the greatest victory is not only winning a medal, but being part of an experience that brings us all together. I wish everyone a wonderful Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.”

For information on how to watch and follow beach handball at Dakar 2026, click HERE.

Day 1 – Monday 9 November 2026
All times UTC, local

Women’s competition
0930     Spain v People’s Republic of China; Croatia v Mexico
1110     France v Senegal; Uruguay v Kenya
1500     Mexico v Spain; People’s Republic of China v Croatia
1550     Senegal v Uruguay; Kenya v France

• The beach handball competitions of Dakar 2026 throw-off with the women’s competition at 0930
• Current world champions and strong favourites for gold, Spain, play Asian champions China in their opener, followed by Mexico
• “A very demanding and competitive group awaits us where we'll have to play our best,” says Spain goalkeeper Maria Arnay MANCEBO, “but we are a perfect mix of hard work, grit, talent, and a whole lot of drive”
• Buenos Aires 2018 silver medallists Croatia take on Mexico in their first game, with China in the afternoon
• African Youth Games champions and hosts Senegal, coached by French indoor handball three-time Olympic Valerie Nicolas, take on France and then Uruguay
• South Americans are strongest non-European threat in women’s competition

Men’s competition
1020     Tunisia v Cook Islands; Germany v Thailand
1200     Hungary v Senegal; Brazil v Puerto Rico
1500     Thailand v Tunisia
1550     Cook Islands v Germany
1640     Senegal v Brazil; Puerto Rico v Hungary

• Four continents – Africa, Oceania, Europe and Asia – open up the men’s competition in the morning session
• Fifth-placed world championship side Tunisia open their campaign against the sole Oceania representatives, Cook Islands, who will be starting the game with their traditional ‘Tila’, similar to a ‘Haka’
• Strong medal favourites Germany, who are world championship silver medallists, play Thailand in their opening game, followed by another medal contender, Hungary, taking on the home nation and crowd, Senegal
• Tunisia 2025 world championship bronze medallists Brazil – another strong contender at Dakar 2026 – take on Puerto Rico then Senegal
• “We know the difficulty and high level of the teams there so each step will be taken with humility and will be very important,” says Brazil coach Jose Nilton Cardozo JUNIOR. “We will fight for a medal, which would be historic for our country”
• Senegal v Brazil and Puerto Rico v Hungary close a historic and jam-packed first day of beach handball action