Mali PMU backs Sports Biennale with US$88,000 contribution
PMU Mali is supporting the return of the country’s Sports Biennale as it prepares a new partnership with the Malian Football Federation.
Mali.- PMU Mali, the country’s state-backed betting company, has committed CFA50m (US$88,000) to support the Sports Biennale, strengthening its role in national sport.
According to a statement from PMU Mali, the contribution was presented on Friday, August 7, at the Ministry of Youth and Sports by PMU Mali Foundation director Annick Kaba and director of marketing and communication Baye Guindo, alongside other company representatives. The delegation was received by Youth and Sports Minister Abdoul Kassim Fomba, as the major national multi-sport event runs in Bamako from August 7-16, returning to its autonomous sports format after a 43-year hiatus.
Kaba, speaking on behalf of PMU Mali director general Fasséry Doumbia, said the contribution reflects the operator’s commitment to supporting initiatives of national interest and promoting values associated with sport, including solidarity, citizenship, excellence and self-improvement.
The 2026 Sports Biennale is the first autonomous sports edition since 1983, when the previous edition was held in Sikasso. The current event brings together representatives from Mali’s regions and the District of Bamako for an interregional multi-sport competition.
PMU Mali also announced that a partnership agreement with the Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) is expected to be signed in the coming days. The planned agreement is set to further expand the betting operator’s involvement in national football.
Fomba highlighted PMU Mali’s existing support for the Malian Horse Racing and Equestrian Sports Federation and the Malian Basketball Federation, while welcoming the planned football partnership.
PMU Mali’s activities include organising horse-racing bets and games of chance, with resources generated contributing to taxes, fees and public-interest initiatives. The planned FEMAFOOT agreement would add football to PMU Mali’s existing sports relationships, potentially giving the betting operator a broader role across Mali’s sporting landscape.
