A S U

Ain Shams University hosts a number of major sports, including team sports, swimming, racquet sports, fencing, chess, and modern pentathlon, in addition to related Paralympic sports.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research continues its intensive preparations to host the 12th African University Games, "Cairo 2026," from September 8 to 16, 2026. This includes finalizing the readiness of the sports facilities and venues designated to host the Games' competitions, ensuring a sporting and organizational environment befitting the scale of African participation.

The tournament is being held with the participation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, headed by Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, headed by Mr. Gawhar Nabil, the African University Sports Federation, headed by Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Vice President of the Supreme Committee for the Twelfth African University Games, and the Egyptian University Sports Federation, under the supervision of Dr. Ahmed Kamel Mahdi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the tournament.

In this context, a number of sports facilities and sites have been prepared to host the competitions of the tournament, including Ain Shams University, 6th of October University, the American University in Cairo, the Olympic Center in Maadi, and Al-Nadi Club in the New Capital. Ain Shams University will host a number of major sports, including team sports, swimming, racket sports, fencing, chess, and modern pentathlon, in addition to related Paralympic sports. 6th of October University will host the athletics, Paralympic sports, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling competitions, with judo being included according to the final technical confirmation. The American University in Cairo, the Olympic Center in Maadi, and Al-Nadi Club in the New Capital will host some of the competitions according to the approved sports distribution plan.

Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture, affirmed that preparations for hosting "Cairo 2026" reflect the state's commitment to delivering an event befitting Egypt's stature and pivotal role in the African continent. He noted that the readiness of sports facilities is a key component of the event's organization plan, ensuring optimal conditions for participating delegations and teams.

The Minister added that "Cairo 2026" presents a significant opportunity to showcase the capabilities of Egyptian universities and sports institutions and to strengthen communication among African university students. He emphasized that the event extends beyond sports competitions to include scientific, educational, and cultural activities that foster cooperation among the continent's youth.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Vice President of the Higher Committee for the 12th African University Games, affirmed that hosting the "Cairo 2026" Games reflects Egypt's commitment to supporting African university sports and strengthening ties among the continent's youth. He noted that the ongoing preparations for the sports venues and facilities aim to provide the best possible conditions for participants, ensuring strong competitions befitting the scale and importance of the Games.

He added that the diversity of competition venues, along with the broad participation of African universities and educational institutions, reflects the event's magnitude and significance. He emphasized the continued coordination among various stakeholders to ensure the Games' success and present a distinguished model of sports and youth cooperation at the African level.

Dr. Ahmed Kamel Mahdi, head of the tournament's organizing committee, confirmed that preparations and maintenance of the sports facilities are proceeding according to a precise timeline to ensure the readiness of stadiums, halls, and competition venues, and to meet the specific technical and organizational requirements for each sport. This will guarantee the smooth running of the competitions and their successful execution.

He added that the organizing committee is continuously monitoring all organizational and technical aspects related to the competition venues, coordinating with the host authorities, universities, and institutions to ensure the highest level of preparedness for welcoming the participating delegations and teams from across the African continent.

Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry's Media Advisor and Official Spokesperson, affirmed that the readiness of sports facilities is a key pillar of the plan to organize the "Cairo 2026" Games. He noted that the selection of competition venues was based on an organizational vision that considers the nature of each sport and its technical requirements, thus providing a suitable environment for participating students from across the African continent.

He added that the diversity of the hosting venues, which include Ain Shams University, 6th of October University, the American University in Cairo, the Maadi Olympic Center, and Al-Nadi Club in the New Administrative Capital, reflects the integrated efforts of universities and sports institutions in hosting this continental event. He emphasized that preparation and monitoring work continues to ensure the readiness of the stadiums and facilities according to the technical and organizational requirements of the competitions.

Preparations include ensuring the readiness of stadiums, halls, and sports facilities, and providing the necessary technical equipment and organizational services to guarantee that competitions are held in an environment suitable for participating students, in accordance with the technical and organizational requirements of each sport.

The readiness of sports facilities is part of the comprehensive preparations for hosting "Cairo 2026," an African event that transcends the boundaries of sports competition. It brings together young people from African universities in an atmosphere of athletic competition, communication, and cultural exchange, reflecting the pivotal role of universities in fostering cooperation and rapprochement among the continent's youth.

The Games will see the participation of 2,082 athletes from 17 African countries, representing 81 universities and educational institutions, competing in 18 major sports, in addition to four Paralympic sports and three demonstration sports, which are being included in the Games for the first time.

Cairo 2026 will also witness the organization of a major African scientific conference for the first time on the sidelines of the Games, hosted by the British University in Egypt. This reflects the integration between sports, education, and scientific research. The conference received 129 research abstracts across 10 scientific themes, in addition to 40 full research papers, with the participation of 21 countries and 99 universities.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research affirms that organizational, sporting, and scientific preparations are proceeding according to a comprehensive plan, ensuring that Cairo 2026 will be a resounding success, showcasing Egypt's capability to host and organize sporting, scientific, and youth events at the continental level.