The Guépards du Bénin, Benin's national football team, will no longer play their home matches at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, for the CAN 2027 qualifiers. The team has been playing its official matches at this stadium for several years due to the suspension of the Général Mathieu Kérékou stadium in Cotonou, Benin. However, the Fédération béninoise de football (FBF) announced that the team will now play at the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé.
The change of venue was necessitated by the organization of the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF). According to the FIF's program, the teams participating in the qualifiers will be divided between the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny stadium and the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé. On September 28, 2026, the eve of the match, the Guépards will have their training session at 5:00 PM at Ebimpé, while their opponent, Mauritania, will train at 7:00 PM.
The Félix-Houphouët-Boigny stadium will host the training sessions of Somalia at 4:00 PM and Côte d'Ivoire at 6:00 PM on the same day. The FIF's organization aims to distribute the teams across two sites to facilitate the management of training sessions and avoid congestion at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny stadium. This change will enable the FIF to better manage the logistics of the qualifiers.
The Guépards have been preparing for the qualifiers at the Lycée classique de Cocody in Abidjan since September 21, 2026. The team has scheduled several training sessions at the Lycée classique de Cocody before moving to the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé. The team's coach and players are focused on their upcoming matches against Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
The Guépards will face Burkina Faso on September 25, 2026, in the first match of the CAN 2027 qualifiers. The team will then play against Mauritania on September 29, 2026, at the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé. The FBF has invited Beninese supporters in Abidjan to accompany the team to Ebimpé to provide their support.
The change of venue may present a new challenge for the Guépards, but the team is determined to perform well in the qualifiers. The Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé will provide a new atmosphere for the team to showcase their skills. The team's fans are expected to play a crucial role in motivating the players during the matches.
The CAN 2027 qualifiers will be an important milestone for Benin's national football team. The team's performance will be closely watched by fans and critics alike. With their new training venue and upcoming matches, the Guépards are set to face a critical period in their campaign to qualify for the CAN 2027.
Key points
- - The Guépards du Bénin will play their CAN 2027 qualifiers at the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpé, Côte d'Ivoire. - The change of venue was necessitated by the organization of the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF). - The Guépards will face Burkina Faso and Mauritania in the first two matches of the CAN 2027 qualifiers.
