As well as being able to submit their designs from 2 September to 7 October 2025 through the dedicated platform on Olympics.com, candidates can also access a toolkit with design specifications, guidelines and rules. Entries will be judged on five criteria: creativity, originality, relevance to the YOG narrative, feasibility and the written description.
A jury featuring International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dakar 2026 Coordination Commission Chair Humphrey Kayange OLY; Gangwon 2024 medal design competition winner Dante Akira Uwai; Olympian Artist Annabel Eyres OLY; IOC Young Leaders Peniamina Percival OLY and Pragnya Mohan; IOC Young Reporters Yun Su Park and Yann Durand; and Dakar 2026 ambassador Elzo Jamdong, will review applications, rank designs and share their recommendation with the IOC Executive Board for validation.
The reverse of the medal will be developed by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee and will incorporate Senegalese cultural elements alongside the YOG emblem.