The era of Tom Saintfiet in Malian football has come to an end. The Malian Football Federation (Femafoot) has officially relieved the Belgian coach of his duties as head of the national team, following a decision made on Tuesday evening. The 53-year-old tactician, who took charge in August 2024, failed to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by Senegal.

Femafoot’s tribute to the outgoing coach

Mahazou Cisset, the newly elected president of Femafoot, publicly acknowledged Tom Saintfiet’s contributions in a statement shared on the federation’s official social media channels. He remarked: «During your tenure, you demonstrated unwavering commitment, professionalism, and remarkable determination in fulfilling your mission. Despite challenging circumstances, you successfully maintained team cohesion, structured technical work, and proudly represented the colors of Mali’s national team.»

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The federation has now opened a call for applications to find a new head coach for the Mali national team. Candidates have until May 10 to submit their applications.