Nigeria's Super Eagles are set to face the Cheetahs of Benin in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Saturday, 7 September.
The game will take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, as Nigeria seek to secure a place at the tournament in Morocco.
The last time these two teams met, in June during a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Benin came from behind to snatch a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in Abidjan.
That win was orchestrated by Benin's head coach, Gernot Rohr, who spent five years managing the Super Eagles between 2016 and 2021.
Rohr now leads the Benin team, which includes some players with Nigerian roots, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the fixture.
Benin players good enough to play for Super Eagles – Rohr
“We have some players who were born in Nigeria, it is a neighbouring land, so they also speak Yoruba,” Rohr noted ahead of the clash.
“We have to forget that they are Nigerian. They now play for Benin, and they will give their best for their country.”
Rohr then suggested that, rather than a hindrance, their Nigerian roots could instead serve to drive performance. “I hope it will not be any problem for them, they are professionals and will play a good game tomorrow.
“Perhaps, it will serve as motivation to show that they could have had a chance to play for Nigeria.”
After Saturday's fixture, Nigeria will travel to Kigali for their second group game against Rwanda on 10 September at the Amahoro Stadium.
