The Benin national football team has kicked off its final training phase in Kigali ahead of the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
The Cheetahs’ first group of players arrived in the Rwandan capital this week, settling into the Marriott Hotel as they prepare to sharpen their skills and fine-tune tactics under the guidance of the technical staff.
According to reports from the public service daily La Nation, this initial delegation includes goalkeepers Saturnin Allagbé, defenders such as Yohan Roche, and key midfield and forward players, including Samadou Atidjikou, Rodrigue Fassinou, Mohamed Tijani, Jodel Dossou, Tessilimi, and Imourane Hassane.
The squad will be reinforced in two subsequent waves, with the second group arriving on Sunday night and the final contingent expected Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m.
Once fully assembled, the coaching team will have the entire squad at their disposal to consolidate team cohesion, refine tactical strategies, and prepare for the decisive encounters that will determine Benin’s fate in Group C.
The Cheetahs enter this final international window with renewed optimism following a recent FIFA sanction against South Africa.
The ruling, imposed for fielding a suspended player in a match against Lesotho, resulted in South Africa losing three points.
This adjustment places Benin at the top of Group C, tied on points (14) but with a superior goal difference, giving the team a critical advantage in the race for World Cup qualification.
However, coach Michel Dussuyer and his squad are keen to stress that nothing is guaranteed.
The next match, scheduled for October 10th, will be pivotal. In line with FIFA’s directive to ensure fair play, all matches in Group C will kick off simultaneously at 4 p.m.
GMT, a scheduling decision designed to prevent teams from gaining an unfair advantage based on earlier results.
The Cheetahs are now focused on maximizing every training session in Kigali, aware that each play, each goal, and every defensive effort could prove decisive.
With morale high and strategy under review, Benin aims to seize this opportunity to secure a historic place in the 2026 World Cup.
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