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Egypt announced its readiness to host the African University Games (Cairo 2026) next August, during a press conference attended by the Minister of Higher Education, the President of the African University Sports Federation, and a number of sports, university, African and international leaders, in the presence of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, and a number of sports, university, African and international leaders.

Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh affirms:

• Continuous presidential support enhances Egypt's readiness to host the tournament and strengthens the empowerment of African youth.

• Cairo's hosting of 2026 strengthens Egypt's continental standing and supports soft diplomacy and African integration.

• Egypt is dedicating all its resources to ensure an outstanding event that promotes participation and integration among the youth of the African continent.

• Organizational arrangements are complete, and Egypt's readiness to host an exceptional edition with international standards is confirmed.

Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, President of the African University Sports Federation (FASU), attended the press conference organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in cooperation with the African University Sports Federation and the Egyptian University Sports Federation, to announce Egypt's preparations to host the twelfth edition of the African University Games (FASU Games) during the period from 9 to 16 August, jointly organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and the University Sports Federation, under the umbrella of the African University Sports Federation. The conference was attended by Mr. Lyons Eder, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) "online", Dr. Yasser Hafny, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HPG Company (Hafny Pharmaceuticals), the main partner of the African University Sports Federation, the presidents of the universities of Greater Cairo, members of the board of the Egyptian University Sports Federation, a group of leaders of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, heads of sports federations participating in the championship, a number of sports, university, African and international leaders, and a group of media representatives.

At the outset of his speech, the Minister expressed his gratitude to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his unwavering support of higher education and university sports, and his continuous care for young people. He emphasized that this support has strengthened Egypt's readiness to host the tournament, stemming from the state and its political leadership's belief that empowering and developing African youth is fundamental to achieving development and prosperity on the continent.

The Minister of Higher Education added that Egypt's hosting of the 12th African University Games reflects its continental standing and its role in supporting soft diplomacy. He affirmed that organizing this event embodies the Ministry's vision of building bridges of communication and deepening partnerships among African universities, providing a platform to enhance interaction among the continent's youth, solidify their shared values, and utilize sports as a developmental pillar to refine young people's skills and support their potential, in line with Egypt's 2030 Vision for Sustainable Development and African Integration.

Qansouh pointed out that the Egyptian state is harnessing all its capabilities to ensure a distinguished organization of the tournament, which enhances the participation of African and Egyptian university students, and supports integration between academic and sports circles through competitions that reflect the spirit of cooperation and excellence among the continent's youth. He stressed that the tournament represents a strategic platform to promote cultural convergence, consolidate shared continental belonging, and open wider horizons for cooperation and sustainable partnerships. He noted that Egypt's hosting of this event reflects institutional and organizational development based on effective coordination between various bodies and executive committees, which ensures that the tournament is delivered with the highest standards of efficiency and quality.

The Minister of Higher Education affirmed the continuation of intensive efforts to complete all organizational and logistical arrangements for the championship, in cooperation with the African University Sports Union and the Egyptian University Sports Federation, in order to ensure an organization befitting international standards and providing the best conditions for the participants. He emphasized Egypt's commitment to supporting African cooperation and strengthening joint partnerships, praising the organizational and developmental role of the African University Sports Union, and stressing that the upcoming executive outputs will reflect full commitment to the approved implementation controls, ensuring that the tournament emerges as an exceptional organizational model that embodies the shared continental vision and contributes to empowering youth and building a brighter future for the African continent. He also appreciated the role of the media in conveying the course of the event accurately and objectively and highlighting the state's organizational readiness to ensure the success of the championship.

The President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) affirms:

- Cairo is Africa's gateway to hosting the World University Games

- University sports are a platform for strengthening cooperation and development in Africa

- Egypt is consolidating its position as a regional hub for university sports and education

- FISU supports the development of university sports in Africa

For his part, Mr. Lyons Eder emphasized that the exchange of cultures, ideas, and experiences through the Universiade represents a vital platform for strengthening continental cooperation and showcasing sporting excellence and developmental potential in Africa. He added that, from this perspective, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) is committed to supporting these events as part of its strategic initiatives, contributing to the development of university sports and enhancing its role internationally.

The President of FISU noted that Cairo has a significant opportunity to demonstrate its organizational capabilities and host world-class sporting events, reflecting Egypt's regional and international standing. This hosting also opens the door to greater future ambitions, such as the possibility of organizing the Summer Universiade for the first time on the African continent.

For his part, Dr. Ashraf Sobhi affirmed that Egypt’s hosting of the 12th African University Games for the first time reflects its leading position regionally and internationally, praising the great support given by the Egyptian state, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to sports and youth and hosting major international events. He also expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and President of the Egyptian University Sports Federation, and his active role in supporting and organizing this important continental event, which contributes to strengthening cooperation among African university youth.

The President of the African University Sports Federation affirms:

• Egypt confirms its organizational capabilities by hosting the African University Games for the first time.

• The tournament is a historic sporting event reflecting Egypt's strength and African leadership.

• Egypt's hosting of the African University Games is a message of peace and cooperation among the peoples of the continent.

• Hosting the African University Games reflects Egypt's vision for strengthening African cooperation.

The President of the African University Sports Federation also praised the significant role played by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, under the leadership of Minister of Youth and Sports, Captain Gawhar Nabil, in supporting the sports and youth movement and developing Egyptian and African sports. He expressed his appreciation to all the supporters and sponsors who contributed to the outstanding preparations for this continental event, emphasizing that Egypt's hosting of the tournament represents a message of peace and cooperation, reflecting the Egyptian state's vision of strengthening African partnership and empowering the continent's youth. He wished the tournament every success.

For his part, Dr. Yasser Hafny confirmed that the press conference would witness the announcement of a strategic partnership between HPG, a leading pharmaceutical company in Egypt, and the African University Sports Federation. He explained that this partnership embodies a belief in the role of African youth, in line with the vision of the Egyptian state, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which affirms that human development is the foundation of progress. He noted that the African University Sports Federation plays a pivotal role in developing university sports and promoting the health of African communities.

Hafny added that HPG has placed the health of the Egyptian patient at the top of its priorities for more than 30 years, through its commitment to research, development and manufacturing according to the highest international quality standards, stressing that its partnership with the African University Sports Federation reflects its role in supporting public health and university sports as an investment in African generations capable of shaping the future.

Key preparations for the championship:

• The championship is preparing for the participation of 2,000 athletes from 25 countries in the African Championship.

• A comprehensive sports program and geographical distribution of competitions enhance Egypt's readiness to host "Cairo 2026."

• Innovative initiatives transform the championship into a platform for education, innovation, and environmental sustainability in Africa.

• A fully equipped sports village is being prepared to accommodate more than 1,200 participants with comprehensive hotel and logistical services.

During the conference, Dr. Ahmed Kamel, Secretary General of the Egyptian University Sports Federation, reviewed the preparations for hosting the African University Games (Cairo 2026), noting that the tournament aims to include the participation of about 2,000 athletes and administrators from more than 70 universities and 25 African countries, competing in 18 sports according to an organizational system with international standards. He explained that the tournament features a visual identity that reflects the spirit of youth, blending the map of Africa with the Giza pyramids, in addition to launching the official mascot “Toots Hope,” inspired by King Tutankhamun, which symbolizes the strength of youth.

Dr. Ahmed Kamel added that the championship is witnessing widespread African participation, reflecting confidence in the Egyptian organization. He noted that 45 universities from 16 countries have confirmed their participation so far. He also highlighted the diverse sports program, which includes 18 sports, with athletics, swimming, and taekwondo leading the individual sports, basketball leading the team sports, and judo showing remarkable interest among the optional sports.

The championship's sports program includes mandatory team sports (football, basketball, and volleyball), eight mandatory individual sports (athletics, table tennis, badminton, chess, karate, taekwondo, swimming, and tennis), and seven optional sports (modern pentathlon, futsal, judo, squash, wrestling, fencing, and padel).

The organizing committee also adopted an organizational model based on distributing the competitions within five geographical sectors in Greater Cairo to ensure efficient movement and accommodation. The Administrative Capital sector (Al-Nadi Club) includes 9 sports, including badminton, karate, and wrestling. The Fifth Settlement sector (American University) includes 7 sports, most notably basketball, modern pentathlon, and swimming, with hosting the heads of delegations. The Cairo sector (Cairo University) is for chess competitions. The Ain Shams sector is for football and accommodation. The Helwan sector is for taekwondo and the headquarters of the main sports village, with the preparation of an integrated sports village that can accommodate more than 1,200 participants and provides integrated hotel and logistical services, including internet, medical clinics, and insurance, in addition to allocating the British University as a backup hotel option.

To ensure the efficiency of the organizational staff and the readiness of the facilities, an extensive operational simulation was carried out at the beginning of this year through the Egyptian Universities Tournament (Martyr Al-Rifai 53) during the period from January 26 to February 1, which represented an integrated practical test of the operational system in preparation for the African Championship, in which more than 4,000 male and female students from 73 Egyptian universities participated, and during which 21 sports were successfully tested, reflecting the strength of the university sports infrastructure and the efficiency of the organizational readiness to host the event.

Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the media advisor and official spokesperson for the Ministry, affirmed that the championship is not limited to its sporting dimension, but rather represents a sustainable legacy that enhances Egypt's position as a regional center for education and innovation in the African continent. He explained that this legacy is embodied in linking the championship with the "Study in Egypt" initiative to attract African students, organizing the "Heritage of Peoples" forum to promote cultural exchange and African unity, in addition to environmental sustainability initiatives through the "Green University" competitions to transform the championship sites into climate-friendly environments by sorting and recycling waste and reducing the carbon footprint, as well as launching the "Healthy Campus for Africa" ​​initiative under the supervision of the International University Sports Federation, which includes workshops for African youth in the fields of sports nutrition, emergency protocols and logistical planning.

The official spokesperson added that the tournament will be managed according to a system based on transparency, efficiency, and digital transformation, in partnership with international and regional bodies to ensure the highest quality standards. He noted that Egypt's hosting of this edition reflects the African continent's ability to organize major sporting events to international standards, and affirms the "Cairo Message" that Africa is capable of organizational excellence, and that Egypt will remain a leading platform for embracing the continent's youth and shaping the future.

On the sidelines of the conference, a cooperation protocol was signed between the African University Sports Federation and a number of university sports supporters.

Also on the sidelines of the press conference, Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh and Dr. Ashraf Sobhi answered inquiries from journalists and higher education and sports editors regarding Egypt's preparations for organizing the tournament and the arrangements made to ensure the event reflects Egypt's regional and international standing.