Mali Football Federation Opens Inquiry Into Betting Concerns Around AFE–AS Korofina

The Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) has launched an inquiry after suspicious betting activity was flagged around the June 10 Ligue 1 match involving Afrique Football Elite and AS Korofina, which ended 5–3.

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The announcement came on August 28, 2026, a day after AS Korofina’s management responded publicly to comments made by its president, Mahazou known as Baba Cisse. FEMAFOOT clarified that the remarks were made strictly in his role as president of the Federation, and not as head of FC Mali Coura, stressing that they were aimed at safeguarding the integrity of national competitions.

According to FEMAFOOT, the statements followed official alerts from international monitoring bodies. The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) had reported unusual and seemingly coordinated betting patterns tied to the 5–3 scoreline and related markets.

The Federation emphasized that this does not amount to a ruling against AS Korofina. Instead, the matter has been referred to the Independent Ethics Commission, which will hear all parties, review the evidence, and decide in line with existing regulations.

IBIA reports 11 suspicious alerts across Africa in Q2 2026

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) flagged 11 suspicious betting alerts across Africa during the second quarter of 2026.

Read more UK Financial Regulator to Consider Lifting 7-year Ban on Prediction Markets

Football accounted for the majority, with nine alerts spread across countries including Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tunisia. Tennis added two more, one each in Egypt and Ivory Coast.

However, Africa accounted for roughly 14.5% of the global suspicious alerts. IBIA 76 alerts across nine sports in the same period. Football led with 25 alerts, followed by esports with 16, basketball with 10, and tennis with nine.

Smaller numbers were reported in darts, greyhounds, cricket, table tennis and volleyball. South America produced the highest share of alerts overall, while Europe came in second.

The Mali case also comes amid a rising number of match-fixing scandals across the continent. FAs are already making moves, with the Ghana Football Association recently confirming a ban on betting companies offering odds on local matches just days before the start of the 2026/2027 season. GFA president Kurt Okraku described the step as vital for safeguarding the integrity of the Ghana Premier League and ensuring that financial inducements do not influence results.

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