Zimbabwe Warriors at full strength

The Zimbabwe senior men's football team, the Warriors, held their first full training session in Abidjan on Wednesday afternoon following the arrival of European-based players ahead of Friday's World Cup Qualifier against Benin.

Coach Michael Nees now has a complete squad in camp after a staggered arrival process that began on Monday with the bulk of the players and technical team, followed by South African-based stars on Tuesday, and finally the European contingent on Wednesday.

Vice-captain Marshall Munetsi will miss the clash against Benin as he serves a suspension but is expected to rejoin the squad on Sunday in South Africa, where Zimbabwe will take on Rwanda on Tuesday.

Speaking after training, veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi said the team's focus is firmly on the Benin match.
"We have had a good session, you can tell that the boys are ready to fight and we are looking forward to the game," Arubi said. "For now, we are focusing on Benin and we are not thinking about the next game. Our preparations will determine if we will get the maximum points because we don't want to drop points at this stage in time."

Zimbabwe currently sit bottom of Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers with four points. Victory over Benin would keep their hopes alive, though their fate may also depend on results elsewhere. If group leaders South Africa, who top the standings with 13 points, secure a win against Lesotho, Zimbabwe's chances of progressing will be mathematically over regardless of the result in Abidjan.

The Warriors, however, remain determined to fight for every point as they look to revive their qualification campaign.



South Africa = 13 points
Benin = 8 points 
Rwanda = 7 points 
Nigeria = 6 points 
Lesotho = 5 points
Zimbabwe = 4 points