Mali’s building blocks could pay off at World Cup qualifiers
MALI has enjoyed an upward trajectory in international basketball, and one of the programmes contributing to the West African nation’s success is the senior women’s team, which is vying for a spot in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany this year (4-13 September).
Currently competing in Wuhan, China, at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments (11-17 March), the Malians appear to offer Africa the strongest chance of securing a second berth at this year’s World Cup, alongside Nigeria’s D’Tigress, who have already qualified by virtue of winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket.
Oumarou Sidiya, who led Mali to the Women’s AfroBasket final last year and a third-place finish at the 2023 tournament, remains at the helm as the coach. Sidiya has contributed to the success of Mali’s U16 women’s national youth programmes, which have been dominant since 2009. He also played a role in developing players like Sika Koné.
Having proven himself at the youth level and elevating Mali at the last two women’s senior AfroBaskets is a sign that Sidiya is worth his salt as a coach. He could be the right man to lead Mali to a third World Cup appearance.
Sika Kone (Forward): Former WNBA player Koné is one of Mali’s most prominent players. At last year’s AfroBasket, she averaged 10.4 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and recorded an efficiency rating of 16.6. Kone is a vital cog for Mali to have a good run in these qualifiers.
Djeneba Ndiaye (Guard): The Scotland-based Ndiaye played a leading role in Mali’s run to the 2025 AfroBasket final, scoring 12.4 and dishing out 2.2 assists. Despite being undersized (165cm/5ft4), Ndiaye is not afraid to take on bigger players in the paint. It led to her making nine of her 16 free throws.
Alima Dembele (Forward): Dembele will be a vital scoring component for the Malians. She is a player with a strong inside game, which the West Africans will rely on. Her 10.2 points and four rebounds contributed to Mali’s impressive run at last year’s AfroBasket, and the Sahel nation will count on her production at the qualifiers.
Team Strengths
Continuity: The majority of Mali’s roster have progressed through the national youth system, with players such as Kone, Ndiaye, and Dembele having previously competed in FIBA youth tournaments at both the continental and global levels. Players such as Maimouna Haidara, the MVP of the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket, have been gradually integrated into the squad over the years. Oummou Koumare, the MVP of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket, has since joined Haidara and other teammates for the qualifiers in China.
Strong Rebounding Team: Mali ranked third in rebounding at the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket, collecting 54 team rebounds. Individually, Koné was second in the tournament, averaging 11 rebounds per game.
Qualifying Group
The Malians, who will compete in the Wuhan leg of the qualifiers, are in Group A alongside fellow African team South Sudan. Completing the group are hosts China, Belgium, Brazil, and Czechia. Mali holds a 2–0 record against South Sudan, but recent matchups against Brazil, Czechia, and China have ended in defeat for the West Africans.
Qualifying Chances
Mali, who last competed in the 2022 Women’s World Cup, are possibly the best hope for Arica to have a second representative at the Women’s World Cup in Germany. The investment made in their development programme over the years has paid off. Mali face a mountain, and the only way to scale it is to be in sync and improve on the performance of the last AfroBasket.
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