Côte d’Ivoire National Lottery expands Sportcash’s grassroots football reach
LONACI is using its Sportcash brand to strengthen its presence in community football, with Football Club 22 San Pedro crowned winner of the 10th Petits Poteaux tournament in Dimbokro.
Côte d’Ivoire.- Côte d’Ivoire’s National Lottery (LONACI) is expanding the reach of its Sportcash sports-betting offering, using grassroots football to strengthen the brand’s visibility beyond its betting platforms.
Football Club 22 San Pedro was crowned winner of the 10th edition of the Sportcash Petits Poteaux tournament in Dimbokro, beating Djékanou FC 3-2 in the final at the Djoulakro Maracana ground. The tournament got underway on August 8 and wrapped up on September 5, with 24 teams competing in the Petits Poteaux format in Dimbokro. Teams travelled from several parts of Côte d’Ivoire to take part in the month-long competition.
Football Club 22 San Pedro collected FCFA1m (US$1,771), the Dramane Coulibaly Trophy and sets of kits, while Djékanou FC received FCFA500,000 (US$886).
LONACI director general Dramane Coulibaly attended the final, alongside N’Zi region Prefect Jules Gouessé, traditional leaders, elected officials and former Côte d’Ivoire internationals Zézéto and Zoro Marc.
The 2026 edition was held under the theme “Yes to football, no to drugs!”, adding an anti-drug message to the competition. At its launch, LONACI representative Richard Touré called on participating teams to uphold sporting and exemplary conduct while promoting social cohesion.
LONACI said: “Beyond the sporting result, the tournament was a true celebration of football, fair play, cohesion and conviviality.” The operator added that the hard-fought final delivered a fitting close to the 10th edition, describing it as an ending “worthy of the event.”
The tournament comes as LONACI continues to develop Sportcash, its sports-betting offering. The operator launched a new Sportcash technical platform and improved offering in January 2025, marking a new phase in the product’s development.
Sportcash has also been tied directly to betting through LONACI’s “Win Your Car with Sportcash – World Cup 2026” promotion, which ran from June 24 to August 11. The campaign offered a car valued at FCFA 20m (US$35,400) as its top prize. Under the official rules, participants had to place a Sportcash bet of at least FCFA 5,000 (US$9) and register their tickets, with five bettors selected through a combination of ranking and a draw.
The Dimbokro tournament gives Sportcash a community-focused football presence, while the separate World Cup campaign directly linked the product to sports betting.
