Warriors Focused and Ready for Benin Showdown in Africa World Cup Qualifiers

Zimbabwe’s senior men’s football team, coached by Michael Nees, held a full squad training session on Wednesday afternoon after the arrival of players based in Europe.

The Warriors are currently in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, preparing for their Group C match against Benin in the World Cup Qualifiers.

The squad members and technical team arrived in stages—players based in Zimbabwe arrived on Monday, those playing in South Africa joined on Tuesday, and the European-based players arrived on Wednesday.

Vice-captain Marshall Munetsi will miss the Ivory Coast trip due to suspension but is expected to rejoin the team in South Africa ahead of their match against Rwanda on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper Washington Arubi emphasized the importance of their preparations ahead of the Benin game, stating, “We’ve had solid training sessions, and the team is ready to compete. Our focus is solely on Benin right now, as our performance in this game will determine if we can secure maximum points. Dropping points at this stage is not an option.”

Zimbabwe currently sits at the bottom of Group C in the 2026 Africa World Cup Qualifiers with 4 points. A victory over Benin is crucial to keeping their qualification hopes alive.

However, Zimbabwe’s chances also hinge on the results of the match between group leaders South Africa, who have 13 points, and Lesotho. A win for South Africa would likely end Zimbabwe’s progression chances regardless of their result against Benin.

Current Group C standings:

South Africa: 13 points

Benin: 8 points

Rwanda: 7 points

Nigeria: 6 points

Lesotho: 5 points

Zimbabwe: 4 points

ALSO READ : Sean Fusire Explains Warriors Squad Exit After Travel DisputeWarriors Focused and Ready for Benin Showdown in Africa World Cup Qualifiers