The maiden African School Games will hold in Algeria from 5 to 13 July 2025, under the most distinguished patronage of the Algerian Head of State, H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who has given his official sanction for the organisation of this high-profile event, a windfall of the ANOCA-ISF cooperation.
Algeria is preparing to host the maiden edition of the African School Games, to be held from 5 to 13 July 2025. This major event, a windfall of collaboration between the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the International School Sport Federation (ISF), is part of ongoing efforts to identify and train future African sporting talents. Organised with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Education and the IOC to support budding African talents all the way to Los Angeles and Brisbane, the event will be a high point for African sport, featuring competitions that will bring together young athletes across the continent, in a spirit of fraternity, healthy competition and the promotion of Olympic values.
Placed under the most distinguished patronage of the President of the Republic of Algeria, His Excellency Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the event has been officially approved by the President himself. Expressing his support for it, the President stressed that “Algeria is honoured to host such a prestigious event, which not only makes young people a focal priority, but is also a vector for peace and sustainable development for Africa.” The Algerian President also underscored the importance of sports education in building a more harmonious and just society. This support reflects Algeria’s unwavering commitment to sport and youth development in Africa, through school sport promotion initiatives on the continent.
More than just a sports competition, the African Games will serve as a real springboard for Africa’s youth, particularly for budding talents who aspire to stand out on the international stage. The Games aim to improve the budding talent identification process and thus prepare them for future major competitions. These include the African Youth Games, to be held in December 2025 in Luanda, Angola, and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
The path to the organisation of the African School Games 2025 opened with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ANOCA and ISF on 31 July 2024, on the sidelines of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The historic agreement, a real strategic partnership for the future of sport in Africa, aims to build the capacities of young Africans through sport and education, by developing structured programmes that combine sports competitions and academic training.
ANOCA-ISF cooperation aims to make school sport a cornerstone of youth development in Africa. During the signing ceremony, ANOCA President Mustapha BERRAF** noted that “Sport is a powerful tool not only for identifying future champions, but also for inculcating in our young people values such as respect, teamwork and discipline. Thanks to this agreement, we are opening a new era for school sport in Africa.”
Also speaking on the occasion, ISF President, Laurent Petrynka added that “sport starts at school, and it is there that we must devote our efforts to ensure a bright future for Africa’s youth. The African School Games will be an essential starting point for building a strong and sustainable sports ecosystem.”
A key objective of the African School Games is to leave a lasting legacy in the participating countries, by improving sports infrastructure and stimulating sport development on a continental scale. Algeria, as first host country, will provide modern facilities and allocate funds to ensure the success of this event.
The country will make available suitable infrastructure, state-of-the-art equipment and technical expertise to provide young African athletes with optimal conditions in which to express their talent. This investment in sports infrastructure will not only be for the School Games, but will also, in the long term, be used by African athletes preparing for future international competitions.
The Algerian government, in conjunction with ANOCA, is committed to implementing a rigorous action plan to ensure that these Games become a benchmark in the organisation of continental sporting events, while ensuring massive participation by young people through a fair and inclusive selection process.
A true legacy for the future, the African School Games are not just about competition. They are a platform for education, cultural exchange and the furtherance of Olympic values such as excellence, friendship and respect. They also help create strong bonds among young African athletes, paving the way for future cooperation among the nations of the continent.
Better still, these games will help boost the training of teachers and coaches, notably in physical education, by providing them with modern tools and methodologies to encourage young people to take up sport. By investing in school sport, African governments are creating an enabling environment for youth development and the emergence of future champions.
Organising these Games will also drive economic development in Algeria by stimulating the tourism sector and raising the country’s international profile. The President of Algeria, H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune asserted that Algeria would do its utmost to stage an exceptional event, both in terms of organisation and sport, pointing out that “Africa must avail itself of this opportunity to rank among the world’s greatest sporting nations.”
All in all, the African School Games 2025 mark an important milestone in the history of school sports in Africa. They pave the way for a new generation of sporting talent and the creation of stronger bonds among African countries through sport and education.
ANOCA, under the leadership of Mustapha Berraf, and ISF, in collaboration with the Algerian government, are determined to make this event a resounding success, by creating favourable conditions for young Africans to bloom and excel on the global stage. Africa has champions in the making, and these Games will afford them a platform to shine, not just in Algeria, but the world over.
This event, the first of its kind on any continent, will benefit from the special IOC budding talent identification programme up to the Los Angeles and Brisbane Olympic Games. An African delegation of the future sporting elite will be identified and set up in Algeria. This will certainly help to curb the current drain of potential champions. Experts in each Olympic discipline will be appointed by the African Olympic Confederations for talent identification, monitoring and guidance.
