Algiers, 21 May 2025
19 and 20 May 2025 will go down as a milestone in the history of African sport. Algeria hosted the Chefs de Mission meeting in the run-up to the maiden African School Games billed for Algiers, a historic event that enshrines a shared vision of African youth trained, followed up and developed through sport from school onwards.
This high-level meeting was held under the aegis of ANOCA, in strategic partnership with the International School Sport Federation (ISSF), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Association of African Olympic Sports Confederations (CASOL).
In an atmosphere of constructive dialogue and shared enthusiasm, delegations representing 51 African NOCs met at the Golden Tulip hotel in the Béni Hamdine neighbourhood, to fine tune preparations for this unprecedented pan-African event. This is a defining moment that will help structure African school sport on a continental scale.
The maiden African School Games will be celebrated from 26 July to 5 August 2025 in the cities of Constantine, Sétif, Skikda and Annaba. Over 3,000 young athletes aged between 14 and 17, representing every nook and cranny of the continent, will compete in 25 sports disciplines, ranging from traditional Olympic sports to emerging disciplines such as basketball 3×3, skateboarding, beach volleyball and taekwondo. These Games will be a showcase for future talents, an essential stage in the identification and training of Africa’s next generation of sportsmen and women.
Landmark decision: free participation fees for all athletes
The high point of the seminar was the soofficial announcement by the Algerian Minister for Youth and Sport, Mr Walid Sadi, that all participation fees for African athletes will be paid in full by Algeria.
This powerful gesture, unanimously welcomed by the 51 Chefs de Mission present, embodies continental solidarity and a strong commitment to inclusion. It guarantees access for all young people, whatever their country’s resources, to this great celebration of African school sport. This unprecedented measure demonstrates Africa’s ability to promote a concrete model of cooperation, in which equity and young people are focal priorities.
In addition, a joint air transport logistics system is being studied to facilitate the transport of all delegations to the Algerian capital and the host cities. This will provide strategic support to remove barriers to mobility and ensure the inclusive participation of all African States.
ANOCA hails the exceptional Algerian government support
While opening the deliberations, ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf publicly expressed his gratitude to the Algerian government, saying: “I wish to most heartily thank the Algerian government, for its warm welcome, unfailing support and total commitment to these Games.”
He also pointed out that this event was part of a strategic approach aimed at “building a sporting Africa right from school, from childhood and as from today,” ahead of the other major upcoming sports events: the African Youth Games Angola 2025, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
A lever for the future of African sport
Much more than a simple sports event, the African School Games 2025 are part of a process aimed at sustainably reshaping African sport from the bottom up. This educational and sports project complements a series of major initiatives championed by ANOCA in coordination with the IOC, such as the African Youth Games Angola 2025, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
The working sessions provided an opportunity to review all organisational aspects: accreditation protocols, accommodation and catering conditions, inter-site transport arrangements, security plan, anti-doping, media coverage, communication and medical protocols. Every aspect was handled with professionalism, with the aim of guaranteeing an exemplary competition in compliance with international Olympic standards.
Through this initiative, ANOCA aims to create a culture of pan-African school sport, mobilise the Ministries of Education and Sport, and promote social inclusion through sport. The aim is also to nurture a pool of athletes capable of flying Africa’s colours high in international competitions.
Unprecedented political and institutional commitment
Placed under the most distinguished patronage of the President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, His Excellency Abdelmadjid Tebboune, this event enjoys strong political support. The total mobilisation of Algerian institutions illustrates the strategic importance attached to African youth as a vehicle for development and cohesion.
This project is also a model of cooperation between continental and international sports organisations, demonstrating Africa’s ability to initiate, manage and succeed with large-scale projects that match its ambitions.
Transformative platform for the continent’s youth
The maiden African School Games will mark a milestone in the history of African sport. They reflect the collective commitment of an entire continent to its young people. They will undoubtedly be a springboard towards a stronger, more aware and more united generation. ANOCA President Moustapha Berraf: “Today, we bear a historic responsibility: that of laying the foundations for a new tradition within the African Sports Movement. A continental event dedicated to excellence in education and sport. It is a platform for exchange, good example, peace and fraternity for the young people of the continent …Together, let us make these maiden African School Games a benchmark, a model, a powerful symbol of what Africa can undertake and achieve when it is united.”
School sport thus becomes a tool for emancipation, integration and pan-African unity to serve a common future based on excellence and respect.
