Hountondji confident Benin have golden opportunity to secure World Cup spot

Benin forward Andreas Hountondji has maintained that they have an outright chance to secure their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Following South Africa’s point deduction by World governing body FIFA, Group C has been given a new lease of life, with four countries separated by just three points. Benin occupy top spot on goal difference, one goal ahead of Bafana Bafana, while both teams are set to face Rwanda, who are level with Nigeria, just three points behind.

Likewise, Nigeria and Rwanda are still in the running for the top two spots in a tantalisingly close group. Only a third of the matches have been decided by more than one goal difference. Zimbabwe is the only side already eliminated, which leaves Lesotho still in contention for second place.

Benin to face Rwanda and Nigeria in last qualifiers

Ahead of their remaining two matches of the qualifiers, Hountondji believes Benin are in good shape to qualify.

“I honestly can’t wait,” Hountondji told FIFA.com. “To be honest, I don’t know if it’s fully dawned on me yet how close we are to actually qualifying,”

He added: “Our next match, against Rwanda, is going to be pivotal. If we manage to pick up the three points, we’ll be very handily placed ahead of our final game, against Nigeria.”

Discussing FIFA’s decision to deduct South Africa, he said: “I saw the announcement, and I think we’d be mad not to see this as a real opportunity. We have two matches to go, and if we win them both, there’s a good chance we’ll qualify directly. Our destiny is in our own hands, so we have to believe in our chances.”

‘World Cup is the ultimate dream for any player’

He concluded: “Honestly, I have so much love for this group of boys that just finding ourselves in this position now as the qualifiers are coming to an end is amazing. I’m really looking forward to seeing just how pumped and hungry we’ll be.

“We’ve got the chance to create great excitement and some incredible memories. I think we’re capable of getting the job done – anything is possible. For any player starting out in the game, lining up at the World Cup is the ultimate dream.

“One thing for sure is that when we come together as a squad and start to realise just how close we are to achieving it, it’s really going to put stars in our eyes,” the forward concluded. “I hope that’ll give us the added motivation to get over the line. Benin have never made it before, and it’d be simply amazing.”

The Cheetahs will face Rwanda at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday, before winding up their matches against Nigeria at Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Tuesday, October 14.