AfroBasket Women 2025: Mali look to recapture past glory

AfroBasket Women 2025, which takes place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 26 July to 3 August, looks a pivotal opportunity for Mali's national team. Runners-up or bronze medallists in the last four editions (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), the Malians are eager to win back a title that has eluded them since the 2007 edition. Powered by a new generation of talent and an impressive record in junior competitions, Mali head into the tournament confident of taking on Africa's best nations for gold and a place in the qualifying tournaments for the FIBA Women's World Cup 2026.

A title to their name, but a drought to end

Mali made history at AfroBasket Women in 2007, when they won their only title, in Senegal. In the final, the Malians beat the tournament hosts, also securing a historic qualification for the 2008 Olympic Games. Since then, despite remarkable consistency – four consecutive podium finishes, including silver in 2021 and bronze in 2023 in Kigali – Mali have failed to reclaim the African crown. Senegal (2009) and Nigeria (the reigning champions) have dominated the competition, often leaving Mali as the challengers.

Read also: AfroBasket Women 2025: Mali in the Group of Death, Côte d'Ivoire with Angola

For this edition in Abidjan, the stakes are twofold: ending 18 years without a title and securing a place in the world qualifying tournament. To do so, the Malians can draw on their dominance in the youth categories, as the country is a genuine talent factory. Since 2009, Malian sides have won every women's African U16 championship and nine of the last 17 U18 tournaments. Only Egypt have managed to break that stranglehold. Little by little, those talents have come to fill the ranks of the national team.

That junior supremacy has produced a golden generation, with no fewer than five former MVPs in the preliminary squad for 2025. Such depth of talent suggests a senior side capable of turning promise into continental success. Team strengths

Players to watch

• Sika Koné (22, Washington Mystics, WNBA): Named to the All-Star 5 at the U19 World Cup in 2021, she is a dominant force in the paint. With averages of 17.3 points and 14.4 rebounds across the U19 tournaments of 2019 and 2021, she has shown she can shine on the international stage. Her maturity, gained in the EuroLeague and the WNBA, makes her the undisputed leader of this Mali team.
• Maimouna Haidara (U18 MVP 2022): Just 20 years old, she is a complete threat. Her record of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 steals at the U19 World Cup in 2023 against Taipei – the third triple-double in the competition's history – illustrates her impact. A participant at AfroBasket Women in 2021 and 2023, she will bring her global experience.
• Oummou Koumaré (U18 MVP 2024): Freshly named MVP in Pretoria, she is a prolific scorer (22.5 points per game) and an elite three-point shooter. Her ability to create mismatches on offence will be crucial.
• Elisabeth Dabou: Named in the starting five of the 2024 Women's Basketball Africa League, she is a clutch player, able to raise her game in high-stakes matches.

To win the AfroBasket Women title again, Mali will have to contend with formidable opponents such as Nigeria, the reigning champions, and Senegal, still competitive in the women's game, not to mention the Ivorian hosts and an unpredictable Egypt side. But before dreaming of the title, they must first get out of Group B, the toughest, which also features Cameroon and South Sudan.

Malick BAMBA