AFCON 2025 (Q): Joy in Benin as the Cheetahs qualify
Benin's Cheetahs qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the fifth time in their history.
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Scenes of jubilation were seen across the country again on Monday night after the Cheetahs qualified for AFCON 2025, rekindling the unity that followed Benin's excellent run at AFCON 2019 in Egypt five years ago.
Magical to see...
The party atmosphere continued on Monday night after Benin's Cheetahs achieved the feat of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations for the fifth time in their history. They are also the 21st nation to book a place at the next edition of AFCON, which will take place in Morocco in 2025.
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The Cheetahs of Benin wrapped up the AFCON 2025 qualifiers with their heads held high, pulling off the feat of securing a place in the finals with a result away to Libya in Tripoli. The qualification of Gernot Rohr's men lifted the whole country and its economic capital, Cotonou. "We are proud to be Beninese tonight," shouted a group of young people banging saucepan lids in Dèkoungbé, a neighbourhood in the Godomey district of the commune of Abomey-Calavi.
"Go Benin" "Go Cheetahs" rang out across the country's economic capital as the national football team celebrated qualification. The slogan, and above all the success, united the whole country in celebration. Supporters with "vuvuzelas" in hand and motorbike taxi drivers competed with the horns. "Thank you to the players and coach Gernot Rohr", some shouted as they passed others, who had come from every neighbourhood.
Cotonou out in force to back the Cheetahs
With music, dancing, singing and flags, the atmosphere was lively and the whole community seemed happy and joyful as they followed their team in an improvised fan zone ahead of the match, at the Amazone esplanade, to support Benin's Cheetahs. "It's a national coming together… like a rebirth. Since AFCON 2019, we haven't felt this atmosphere or this popular fervour around the national team," said a delighted Paul Dah. Draped in the colours of the Beninese flag, André Cakpo, for his part, sighed before showing his joy: "It's like taking a breath. It's magical to see. This qualification is an important event for the whole country. The happy people, this togetherness, the cries of joy, the horns, everyone out on the streets…," he explained.
Away from Cotonou, similar fervour spread to other towns and cities across the country, such as Porto-Novo (the political capital), Djougou, Parakou, Ouidah, Comé and Bohicon, in bars, restaurants and even bakeries.