Benin’s national football team has officially begun preparations for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures, with the first players arriving in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, ahead of September’s decisive matches.
The training camp marks an important step in the Cheetahs’ qualification campaign, as the team gears up for the seventh and eighth rounds of qualifiers, which could prove pivotal in shaping their path to the tournament.
Head coach Gernot Rohr had earlier released his squad list, and the technical staff was the first to arrive in the Ivorian capital on Saturday, 30 August, officially signalling the start of camp.
The first wave of players followed shortly after, with Tamimou Ouorou, Rachidou Razack and Andreas Hountondji among the earliest arrivals.
The gradual assembly of the squad will continue over the coming days, with additional players expected on Sunday, 31 August, and the remainder of the team set to join at the start of September.
This phased arrival is designed to ensure a smooth build-up to the critical fixtures, allowing Rohr and his staff to begin tactical work as early as possible.
The Ivorian city was chosen as the training base to provide optimal preparation conditions, giving Benin a stable environment to fine-tune their strategies ahead of two games that could heavily influence their qualification hopes.
Benin, like many other African nations, faces intense competition in the race for a place at the 2026 World Cup. With the stakes growing higher as the qualifying campaign enters its later stages, the team’s focus will be on building cohesion, sharpening match fitness, and implementing tactical adjustments necessary for success.
This training camp is not only an opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate player readiness but also a chance for the squad to strengthen its chemistry and collective understanding.
Rohr’s side will be hoping to replicate their promising performances from earlier qualifiers and push closer to achieving their goal of reaching the tournament.
As anticipation builds among supporters, the camp represents a crucial moment in Benin’s World Cup journey.
With preparations now underway, all attention turns to the upcoming matches that will determine whether the Cheetahs remain on course for a historic qualification.
