Sithembinkosi L Jiyane
Sports Reporter
The Warriors are bracing for two pivotal fixtures in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These back-to-back Group C encounters could prove decisive in shaping their campaign.
First on the schedule, the Warriors will travel to Ivory Coast to face Benin at the Alassane Ouattara Ebimpé Olympic Stadium on Friday, 5 September 2025, with kick-off set for 5 PM CAT.
Four days later, they will host Rwanda at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, starting at 3 PM CAT.
These matches carry high stakes for Zimbabwe, a nation still chasing its first-ever appearance at football’s biggest stage. Yet, they are not the only ones with that dream.
Benin, FIFA members since 1962 and CAF members since 1969, have also never qualified for the World Cup. Their history at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) includes appearances in 2004, 2008, 2010, and 2019.
While they have never progressed beyond the group stage, they hold the unusual distinction of being the first team to reach an AFCON quarter-final (2019) without winning a single match in the tournament’s history.
Rwanda, nicknamed Amavubi (The Wasps), are also in search of a maiden World Cup berth. They are governed by the Rwandese Association Football Federation and compete under CAF and the CECAFA sub-confederation. Their only AFCON appearance came in 2004.
For Zimbabwe, the 2026 qualifiers carry extra significance. The Warriors, under the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), have featured at AFCON six times and won the COSAFA Cup on six occasions, but the World Cup has always been elusive.
The journey has not been without setbacks, most notably their suspension by FIFA ahead of the 2018 qualifiers, when they were expelled for failing to pay former coach Valinhos his outstanding wages, a case that attracted global headlines.
With that chapter now closed, the Warriors are determined to turn the page. Victory against Benin and Rwanda could be a major step toward rewriting Zimbabwe’s football history.
The road ahead is long and demanding, but with renewed focus, regional support, and lessons learned from past missteps, the dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still alive and within reach.
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