Uganda’s young stars ready to light up Nairobi at the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games.
This August, the eyes of East African sport will turn to Nairobi, Kenya, as young athletes from across the region gather for the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games, scheduled for 24–28 August 2026. For Uganda, the Games represent more than a regional competition—they are an opportunity to showcase the country’s emerging sporting talent, gain international experience and begin laying the foundation for the next generation of Olympians.
The Games come at an important moment for Uganda’s youth sport. With the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games also on the horizon, the Zone V Games provide a valuable competitive platform for young athletes to test themselves against some of the best emerging talent in the region. Uganda’s Olympic Committee has already identified the Games as part of its preparation pathway towards Dakar.
Uganda will arrive in Nairobi with young athletes competing across seven disciplines: 3×3 Basketball, Judo, Athletics, Swimming, Cycling, Tennis and Beach Volleyball. Each discipline brings its own character and its own opportunity to put Uganda on the map.
In 3×3 Basketball, Uganda’s young women will bring speed, skill and intensity to a format that has become one of the most exciting disciplines in the Olympic programme. With only three players on court at a time, every possession matters and there is little room for hesitation.
Judo will test Uganda’s athletes in a different way, demanding discipline, strength, tactical intelligence and composure. Away from the noise of the crowd, every grip, throw and movement can determine the outcome.
On the track and field, Athletics will once again give Uganda an opportunity to showcase its traditional strength in endurance and speed. From the explosive sprint events to the demanding middle- and long-distance races, the young athletes will carry with them a proud Ugandan athletics tradition.
In the pool, Swimming will see Uganda’s rising aquatics stars compete against regional peers, with every stroke, turn and finish counting. For many of these young swimmers, Nairobi will be another important step towards competing on bigger international stages.
Cycling will bring endurance, strategy and courage into the spotlight, while Tennis will test concentration, movement and mental strength. Meanwhile, Beach Volleyball will add a lively combination of athleticism, teamwork and tactical play to Uganda’s campaign.
SPORT DISCIPLINES IN THE ANOCA ZONE V YOUTH GAMES 2026
Together, the seven disciplines paint a picture of a Uganda that is investing in a broad and diverse sporting future.
While medals will undoubtedly be part of the ambition, the real value of the Zone V Youth Games goes beyond the podium.
For athletes aged in the youth category, international competition offers lessons that cannot always be learned in training: how to handle pressure, compete against unfamiliar opponents, travel as part of a national team and represent a country with pride.
Uganda’s participation is therefore about building athletes for tomorrow. The country already has 13 places available for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, including opportunities in athletics, table tennis, road cycling, swimming and rowing. The Nairobi experience can therefore serve as an important rehearsal for athletes dreaming of a bigger international stage later in the year.
The beauty of the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games is not only found in the competition. It is also in the gathering of young people from neighbouring countries who may be rivals on the field but friends away from it.
The Zone V family brings together countries from across the eastern and northeastern part of Africa, including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burundi, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan, among others associated with the zone. Historically, Zone V competitions have brought together this broad group of nations.
For the young athletes, this creates something bigger than a sporting contest. A Ugandan swimmer may race a Kenyan or Rwandan swimmer in the morning and share experiences with them afterwards. A basketball player can compete fiercely on court before discovering a new friend from another country.
That is the spirit of Olympic sport: competition without division and rivalry without hostility.
As the host city, Nairobi will become the meeting point for this generation of East African sporting talent.
The Kenyan capital is no stranger to major sporting events and already has a strong connection with the Olympic movement. In June 2026, Nairobi hosted an ANOCA Forum that brought African National Olympic Committees together as part of preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
This August, however, the spotlight will shift from administrators and meetings to the young athletes themselves. Kenyatta university in Nairobi will become their classroom, their stage and, for some, the place where an international sporting journey truly begins.
Meet the face of the Games!
— NOC UGANDA | CGA UGANDA (@Official_UOC) August 14, 2026
Our mascot! Thebuffalo is leading the charge for ANOCA Zone V Youth Games in Nairobi. 11 nations, one heartbeat. #ANOCAZoneV #ANOCAZoneVGames pic.twitter.com/vVj0X85uX8
