2026 World Cup Qualifier: Benin Coach Gernot Rohr Confident of Securing Historic World Cup Spot

Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr has voiced strong belief and assurance that his team can claim all three points in their decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles, set to take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday (today).

During the pre-match press briefing in Uyo, Rohr outlined his squad’s determination to make history by securing a first-ever World Cup berth.

The Franco-German tactician stated,

“We are very happy to be here and to be in this position as leaders. Nobody could have believed that when we started the competition.

“But now it’s a fantastic game — a final. And I believe that we have a good chance to go to the World Cup.”

Rohr, the former Super Eagles coach who now leads Benin, acknowledged the importance of the match but highlighted his team’s readiness to face the challenge.

“We can do it, we can beat Nigeria. We’re the only team among the top three whose destiny is in our own hands. It will be a surprise to win in Nigeria, but we’ve done it before when we won in Abidjan, and we’ll try to do it again.”

He added, “We want to control the game if possible and play on the counter because we have quick players and good headers of the ball.”

Benin currently lead Group C with 17 points, ahead of South Africa (15 points) and Nigeria (14 points). A win will seal a historic qualification for the Squirrels, while a draw could still be sufficient if South Africa fail to overcome Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium.

Should Benin make it through, they would join Cape Verde who booked their ticket on Monday as the second African nation debuting at the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, a failure to qualify would mean Nigeria miss out on back-to-back World Cups, having also been absent in Qatar 2022.