The curtain is set to come down on the 2026 West African University Games (WAUG) at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as athletes, officials, delegates, and guests gather for the Closing Ceremony of what has been an exciting celebration of university sport across West Africa.

Since the Games began, Great Ife has welcomed student-athletes and university delegations from across the region for days of competition, friendship, cultural exchange, and memorable sporting moments. WAUG 2026 has brought together 50 universities, with more than 1,500 athletes and officials expected across 18 sports, making the OAU campus a vibrant meeting point for young sporting talent from West Africa.

The closing ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the participating athletes and institutions while recognizing the spirit of fair play, resilience, and friendship that have defined the Games.

It will also provide an opportunity to look back on the memorable moments of WAUG 2026, from the colorful opening ceremony and parade of participating institutions to the intense contests, medal presentations, and friendships formed beyond the field of play.

For Obafemi Awolowo University, hosting WAUG 2026 has been more than staging a sporting competition. It has been an opportunity to bring the West African university community together and showcase the University’s commitment to excellence, hospitality, culture, and the development of young people through sport.

As athletes take their final bows and delegations prepare to depart Ile-Ife, the spirit of WAUG 2026 will remain, in the victories celebrated, the lessons learned, the friendships built, and the memories created at Great Ife.

Join us as we celebrate the champions, applaud every participant, and bring WAUG 2026 to a fitting close.