Burkina Faso v Benin: Charles Titigoueti expects a ‘very, very, very tight’ CAN 2027 qualifier

Charles Titigoueti has predicted a draw between Burkina Faso and Benin in their opening CAN 2027 qualifying match in Ouagadougou.

Speaking to 229foot on the eve of the Group F fixture, the president of the Ligue departementale Atlantique de football urged caution over the outcome. He expects a contest that will be “very, very, very tight”, with neither side likely to have a clear advantage.

Titigoueti remains ambitious for the Guepards, but believes the circumstances surrounding their first competitive match make it difficult to offer a firm prediction. His assessment is instead based on the strength of both teams and the importance of making a positive start to the qualifying campaign.

Burkina Faso and Benin are the first teams in Group F to take to the field in the CAN 2027 qualifiers. The four-team section also includes Mauritania and the Central African Republic.

The two highest-placed sides at the end of the qualifying campaign will secure places at the finals, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in 2027. Benin will have little time to recover after the trip to Ouagadougou, with Mauritania due to visit four days later.

The teams’ most recent meeting could also influence the way the match is approached. Benin suffered a 3-0 defeat by Burkina Faso in a friendly played in Morocco on 18 November 2025, as part of their preparations for CAN 2025.

That result gave Burkina Faso the upper hand in the latest encounter between the sides and may add another layer to Wednesday’s contest. Titigoueti believes the previous meeting could have a psychological effect, particularly for Benin as they seek to begin a new qualification campaign.

He expects a demanding battle in both tactical and physical terms. Burkina Faso will be looking to use home advantage and build on its recent superiority over Benin, while the Guepards’ immediate priority will be to avoid leaving Ouagadougou without anything to show for their efforts.

However, Titigoueti makes a distinction between his prediction and his personal preference. Although he considers the conditions of the match too uncertain for any confident forecast, he naturally hopes Benin can start their CAN 2027 campaign successfully.

The match therefore represents an early test of Benin’s ability to respond to the 3-0 loss in November, as well as an opportunity for Burkina Faso to reinforce its recent advantage. With both teams beginning their qualification campaign against one another, Titigoueti expects the first battle in Ouagadougou to be closely contested.