Benin U20 women will make history in September when they compete at the FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup for the first time, with the Amazons drawn into a challenging Group A alongside Mexico, Argentina and hosts Poland.
The West African side will begin their campaign against Mexico on 5 September before facing Argentina three days later.
Their final group match will be against Poland on 11 September, giving Benin three opportunities to make an impression on their first appearance at the global tournament.
Benin’s qualification for the competition represents a landmark moment for women’s football in the country. The Amazons secured their place after an impressive qualifying campaign in which they overcame Guinea and Egypt.
They began their route to the World Cup by eliminating Guinea 9-4 on aggregate in the first round.
Benin then produced an even more convincing performance against Egypt, winning 5-0 across the two legs to secure their place at the tournament.
The team will now turn their attention to the group stage, where they face opponents with different levels of experience on the international stage.
Mexico will provide Benin’s opening test on 5 September.
The match is scheduled for 16:00 local time, giving the Amazons an immediate opportunity to measure themselves against one of the established teams in the competition.
Three days later, Benin will meet Argentina at 13:00. The West Africans will then complete their first-round campaign against Poland, the host nation, at 16:00 on 11 September.
The tournament presents a completely new challenge for a young Benin side making its first appearance at a global football competition.
Benin’s qualification was built around a strong attacking display during the qualifiers, with Romaine Gandonou emerging as a key figure.
Gandonou finished as the team’s leading scorer during the qualifying campaign and will be among the players expected to provide an attacking threat when the tournament begins.
The team will be led by coach Abdoulaye Ouzérou, who will have the task of preparing his players for three demanding group matches in the space of six days.
The opening fixture against Mexico will be particularly important as Benin seek to start their historic campaign positively.
With their opening game against Mexico less than a month away, preparations will focus on ensuring the young squad is ready for the intensity of World Cup football.
Benin’s first-round schedule is:
5 September 2026, 16:00: Mexico vs Benin
8 September 2026, 13:00: Benin vs Argentina
11 September 2026, 16:00: Benin vs Poland
