AFCON 2025
As the Super Eagles prepare to face Benin Republic in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday evening in Uyo, their recent history offers useful insight.
Nigeria have had the upper hand in their last five meetings, but Benin have shown they can cause trouble when underestimated.
Last five meetings between Nigeria and Benin Republic:
1. Benin 2–1 Nigeria – June 10, 2024 (World Cup Qualifier)
2. Nigeria 1–1 Benin – November 14, 2024
3. Nigeria 3–0 Benin – September 7, 2024
4. Benin 0–1 Nigeria – Mrach 27, 2021
5. Nigeria 2–1 Benin – November 13, 2019
From those five games, Nigeria have won three, Benin have won one and one ended in a draw. The aggregate score across the fixtures is roughly Nigeria 7 goals to Benin’s 4.
Nigeria’s dominance is still evident on paper, especially when playing at home, but Benin’s shock 2–1 victory in June 2024 proved they can’t be dismissed. The 3–0 response by Nigeria three months later, with Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen on the scoresheet, re-established some authority, while the 1–1 draw showed how finely balanced the fixture can be when Benin stay compact.
The memory of that defeat in Cotonou still lingers, and with qualification stakes high, Nigeria are expected to go aggressive from the start in Uyo.
