Association football, or soccer, is the most popular sport in Benin. Governed by the Benin Football Federation, the Benin national football team (Les Ecureuils ) joined both FIFA and CAF in 1969 as Dahomey.[1][2] Dahomey became Benin in 1975.
Football in Benin | |
---|---|
Governing body | Benin Football Federation |
National team(s) | national football team |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Champions League CAF Confederation Cup Super Cup FIFA Club World Cup FIFA World Cup(National Team) African Cup of Nations(National Team) |
Les Ecureuils (The Squirrels, as the national squad is nicknamed) have never qualified for the World Cup and made their only appearance in the African Cup of Nations in 2004.[3][4] They enjoyed their highest world ranking as of September 2007 with a rank of 79th in the world. The home stadium is Stade de l'Amitié in Cotonou. In the 2010's the national team nickname was changed to the Cheetahs.[5]
The Stade de l'Amitié is currently the largest stadium by capacity in Benin. It is used by the national football team of Benin.
# | Stadium | City | Capacity | Tenants | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stade de l'Amitié | Cotonou | 20,000 | Benin national football team | |
2 | Stade Charles de Gaulle | Porto-Novo | 15,000 | AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé | |
3 | Stade René Pleven d'Akpakpa | Cotonou | 15,000 | Requins de l'Atlantique FC |