Benin set for historic international friendly match against Argentina

Benin are set to travel to Buenos Aires for a historic international friendly against Argentina following the first two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The proposed fixture, which is expected to be played on October 6 in Buenos Aires, would be the first-ever meeting between the Cheetahs and the reigning world champions.

Despite no official announcement, Benin and the Argentina Football Association have reportedly reached an agreement to play an international friendly in the upcoming international break.

The proposed match would provide Benin with a major opportunity to test themselves against one of the world’s leading football nations and gain valuable experience ahead of their AFCON qualifying campaign.

Argentina are also expected to face another African opponent during the same international window, with the Albiceleste scheduled to take on Burkina Faso on October 3 in Buenos Aires.

Benin will enter the proposed clash against Argentina after completing their opening two matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

The Cheetahs are scheduled to begin their qualifying campaign away from home against Burkina Faso on September 25 at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou.

They will then return to action four days later when they face Mauritania on September 29 in their second qualifying fixture.

The demanding schedule would see Benin travel to South America shortly after their opening AFCON qualifiers, with the encounter against Argentina offering coach and players the chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.

A meeting with Argentina would also be a significant occasion for Benin, who would face some of the biggest names in international football on the Buenos Aires stage.

For Argentina, the friendly would form part of their preparations during the international window, while Benin could use the game to further assess their squad and tactical approach ahead of their continued AFCON qualifying campaign.

The fixture remains subject to official confirmation from both football associations, but if completed, it would mark a historic first meeting between the two nations.