Gernot Rohr has admitted his former team the Super Eagles will be favourites to win a 2026 World Cup qualifying group that will be tough for his current team Benin.
Rohr’s Cheetah of Benin have been pitched against Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Lesotho in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which get underway in November.
The Franco-German said it will be tough going for them.
“Benin fell into an extremely tough group, with obviously Nigeria as the favourite, a team we know quite well. But also the others, that is to say, South Africa, already qualified for the next AFCON very early with a new state of mind,” he explained to 24HauBenin.
“Of course, there is also Zimbabwe, who have a very strong physical team, and Rwanda, who we know quite well. And then there is also Lesotho, a country we are familiar with because Benin have played against them.
“It will be tough against South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho, who are geographically very close. As well as Nigeria and Benin, who are also neighbours.
“It’s a group of people who know each other, making it an extremely technical and physical challenge.”
Rohr, who has also handled Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger, qualified Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
