Sport in Mali
This landlocked West African country is the world's eighth largest country. And as with most African nation, Mali has a love affair with sports, and football is its king. Most of the towns and cities in Mali hold their respective games regularly.
Football's popularity in Mali became a national obsession when they hosted the 2002 African Cup of Nations. Since then, most towns have their own football fields. Because of its popularity, most towns have their own teams and players often enjoy celebrity status among the spectators.
One of the most recognizable names in the Malian football scene is Salif Keita who led the AS Real Bamako dominance of Malian football between 1963 and 1967. He later on moved to play for the French team AS Saint-Étienne. Through the dent made by Keita, Mali has went on and produced a lot more internationally recognized players such as Frédéric "Fredi" Kanouté who was named 2007 African Footballer of the Year, Jean Tigana, Drissa Diakité, Adama Coulibaly, Modibo Maïga, Cheick Diabaté, and Yacouba Sylla. Most of these players have later moved on to play for various European teams.
Another sport that has garnered a fair amount of popularity is basketball. Mali even went on and sent a women's basketball team to the 2008 Summer Games held in Beijing, China.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Mali. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Mali
- Football (Soccer), basketball
Mali Sporting Success
Great athletes from Mali
- Salif Keita (football)
- Fredi Kanouté (football)
Mali Sports trivia
Mali at major events
Past sporting events hosted in Mali
- 2002 African Cup of Nations
Upcoming sporting events in Mali
Annual sporting events held in Mali
Sporting Facilities in Mali
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