Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee representatives and a delegation from the next host of the Islamic Solidarity Games have successfully concluded the Observer Programme for Riyadh 2025.

Mansour Diop (Director of Venues), Abdel Kader Abdoul Aziz Amadou (Head of Event Venue Infrastructure) and Fatimata Toure (Event General Manager) from Dakar 2026 participated in the Observer Programme on 19 and 20 November.

They were joined by a team from Selangor, Malaysia, which will host the 2029 Islamic Solidarity Games and is preparing to host the national Sukma Games and Para Sukma Games in 2026. The delegation comprised of Selangor 2026 Deputy CEO/Chief Operating Officer Venu Ramadass, Director of Sports and Events Ahmad Fahim Bin Rosli, Director of Project Management Nurul Husaif Bin Mohammed Hatta, and Selangor State Secretary Special Officer Aida Suhana Binti Barudin.

"The Observer Programme has been invaluable in preparing us for our own Games," said Selangor 2026 Deputy CEO/Chief Operating Officer Venu Ramadass. "Witnessing how Riyadh 2025 has delivered such a successful event gives us both inspiration and practical knowledge to take back to our own planning."

The Observer Programme is a joint initiative from the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) and the Local Organising Committee, enabling hosts of future multi-sport events to gain insights and take learnings from the Riyadh 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games.

Observers conducted tours of venues across Riyadh, including the Olympic Complex, Athletes’ Village, the Prince Faisal Complex in Malaz and the Boulevard.

They also visited the Main Operations Centre, the Transport Operations Hub and the Main Media Centre, providing a comprehensive overview of the organisation of the Islamic Solidarity Games.

The participants additionally met with leading officials from the ISSA and the Local Organising Committee.

This hands-on learning experience ensures that best practices and innovations from Riyadh 2025 will be carried forward to future multi-sport events.

More than 3,000 athletes from 57 countries have competed across 23 sports during the Islamic Solidarity Games, with five venue clusters used as part of the event’s sustainable delivery model.

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