Benin kick off their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign this Saturday, November 18, with a trip to Durban. The Cheetahs will face South Africa's Bafana Bafana, 7400 km from Cotonou. With just a few hours to go before the game, Benin fans are getting their thoughts on the trip into the desert.
At his official presentation to the Beninese press in Cotonou, coach Gernot Rohr proclaimed that "the real objective is to go to the 2026 World Cup." The Franco-German coach, who took charge of the national team in March 2023, will therefore be hard at work with his team. Benin, drawn in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, will face Nigeria, Rwanda, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Majority lacks confidence
When asked about Benin's chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, fans all had their say.But all are uncertain about the outcome of the qualifiers.Local consultant Mahutin Vilard is cautious, noting. "Benin's chances are slim. Benin, quarter-finalists at the AFCON Egypt 2019, are experiencing a drought that is creating a climate of skepticism among Beninese football fans as to whether they will qualify for the World Cup. If the Cheetahs are to qualify, they need to beat Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone. At the same time, we need to do well against South Africa and Nigeria."
Vilard is joined by another Cheetahs fan who is not very optimistic about qualifying for the next World Cup, which will be held simultaneously in the USA, Canada and Mexico."It's okay to dream. Qualification is possible. But that doesn't mean we believe it. If we look at the team's recent results under Gernot Rohr, we could say that we can't qualify. In Benin, when there's a competition, we always take the calculators. Afterwards, we find ourselves in a complicated group, although it's not difficult to qualify," says Eudes.
"Benin doesn't score goals
Benin's Guépards have not won a match in the field for 11 games. Their last victory came on March 27, 2022 against Zambia in a friendly tournament. In the qualifiers for AFCON Côte d'Ivoire 2023, Benin scored just 5 goals against 9 conceded in six matches. Today, in their quest to qualify for the World Cup, Gernot Rohr's players won't be able to settle for draws to achieve their goal. They'll need to keep their opponents on their toes, and that's a tall order for the team.
Christelle Tolo Kpadonou, BBC Sports correspondent in Cotonou, warns of the team's routine."Benin's chances of qualifying are very slim. Not because the other teams are stronger, but rather because Benin doesn't score. The team will certainly be determined to draw matches and end up making calculations to qualify."
"There's revenge to be taken and a public to win back"
Since his arrival, Gernot Rohr has been pushing for the rejuvenation of the team and, by extension, its reconstruction. The national team is now made up of a mix of old and young players, a new generation eager to return the team to the successes of yesteryear.
"Qualification? I believe in it. The team missed out on the last two editions of the AFCON, so there's a certain revenge to be taken. Because, in particular, there's a public to win back. The other reason is that the qualification system for the 2026 World Cup (48 nations, editor's note) leaves a margin for Africa, which could send more than nine representatives. The challenge for Benin is, failing to finish first, to secure second place and then compete in the intercontinental play-offs. The team will gain confidence throughout the qualifiers," believes Adam Issiakou. He is optimistic that the Yellow Boys will qualify for their first World Cup finals.
