The trend is not new but has reached unprecedented proportions: 17 of the 43 African nations playing a home qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup are not authorized to play on their soil. Without a stadium meeting the standards imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), teams must host matches on neutral ground. “It’s regrettable, but it happens,” comments Gernot Rohr, head of Benin, the selection affected by this forced exile. We have a beautiful stadium in Cotonou (the capital) but the new measures for security, access to the stadium, the pitch, lighting and changing rooms are stricter than before. We are working to remedy this and we hope to return to our stadium for the matches in September. » The Guépards therefore play in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), just two years after a major renovation of their stadium in Cotonou.
