Benin Republic have suffered a significant setback ahead of their crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Nigeria, as head coach Gernot Rohr confirmed that five key players will miss the encounter due to suspensions and injuries.

Rohr revealed during his pre-match press conference that defenders Yohan Roche and Sessi D’Almeida are suspended after picking up yellow cards in previous matches. In addition, two more players have been ruled out through injury, further depleting the Squirrels’ squad ahead of the crucial clash in Uyo.

“We have suspended players, and now we miss five in total because we already had two injured players,” Rohr explained. “It is not easy — we don’t have the same number of high-level players as Nigeria. But the team spirit is good, and the collective is strong, so we can still hope.”

Despite the challenges, Benin currently leads Group C with 17 points, ahead of Nigeria and South Africa, and will be eager to maintain their top spot in the race for qualification.

The match between Benin Republic and the Super Eagles of Nigeria is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. (Nigerian time) on Tuesday, with both teams eyeing a crucial victory that could shape their World Cup dreams.