Benin v Central African Republic: Guepards seek third unbeaten game in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying

Benin face the Central African Republic in the first leg of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie on Thursday, 12 November 2026, with kick-off at 19:00 GMT.

The Guepards arrive in Abidjan as Group leaders after making a strong start to their campaign, while the Central African Republic are still searching for their first point after losing both of their opening matches.

The game will be played at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpe in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. It will be broadcast by Canal+ Sport Afrique, Benin TV in Benin, beIN Sports and TVM in Mauritania.

An historic first meeting

There has never been a senior international meeting between Benin and the Central African Republic.

The Guepards and the Fauves du Bas-Oubangui have not faced one another in either a competitive fixture or a friendly. Their two-match meeting in November 2026, as part of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, will therefore mark the first encounter between the two national teams.

Contrasting starts to qualification

Gernot Rohr’s Benin side have taken four points from their first two matches.

They began with a valuable 1-1 draw away to Burkina Faso before securing a 2-1 victory against Mauritania. Those results have placed the Guepards at the top of their group and given them a positive platform ahead of their double-header with the Central African Republic.

The Fauves du Bas-Oubangui, by contrast, have endured a difficult opening to the campaign. They were beaten 3-1 by Mauritania in their first match and then lost 1-0 to Burkina Faso. The Central African Republic remain without a point and need a result to revive their qualification hopes.

Benin’s unbeaten start makes them the favourites for Thursday’s match. Their position at the top of the group and their recent results give them the greater momentum, while the Central African Republic have yet to find either a point or a way to recover from their two defeats.

The Guepards will aim to control the game, exploit weaknesses in the Central African defence and extend their unbeaten run to three matches.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 2-1 win for Benin.

The listed match odds are 1.47 for a Benin victory, 3.57 for a draw and 6.59 for a Central African Republic win.