Soccer, the great popular sport
Although the national team is not really recognized on the international scene, the Beninese are real fans of football. African Cup of Nations, World Cup, Champions League, any competition brings out giant screens in bars and empties the streets for 90 minutes.
The national team plays at the Stade de l'Amitié Mathieu Kérékou in Cotonou (about 35,000 seats). Never qualified for a World Cup, the Squirrels have participated four times in the final phase of the African Cup of Nations (CAN). In 2004 in Tunisia, they were not spoiled because, for their first participation, they found themselves in a group with three of the continent's top teams: Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria. Benin was then logically eliminated after three defeats. The same punishment in 2008 in Ghana, against Mali, Nigeria, the Ivorian Elephants before the first good result of the country in 2010 in Angola. If the competition was mourned by the shooting of the Togolese bus by terrorists in the enclave of Cabinda, Benin scored its first point in an international competition. During their debut, the Squirrels have indeed neutralized Mozambique (2-2) before falling (again) against Nigeria and Egypt.
In 2019, the Beninese team achieved the greatest performance of its history at the CAN organized in Egypt. After getting out of the group stages for the first time (thanks to three draws), the Squirrels offered themselves the scalp of Morocco in the round of 16 (1-0 after extra time)! In the quarterfinals, they unfortunately lost to Senegal (1-0), the future finalist of the event. A game followed by a whole people, especially in front of the giant screens installed in the Friendship Stadium.
The best player in the history of the Beninese selection is Stephane Sessegnon. The one who played for the Atlantic Requins in Cotonou then moved to France to Créteil (L2) then to Le Mans (L1) and finally to Paris-SG. Winner of the French Cup (in 2010) with PSG and capped 82 times for the national team in December 2021, Sessegnon was then looking for a new place to play after a last experience in Turkey at Gençlerbirliği. At the same time, Benin was ranked 83rd nation in the FIFA rankings. This is not the best ranking (52nd in December 2010) in the history of a selection coached once again (after the period 2008-2010) by French coach Michel Dussuyer.Awale, the traditional leisure activity
This is the hobby practiced by all Beninese, young and old. This strategy game is played with a board made of two hollow half-logs with six holes each, containing pebbles or seeds. The aim is to grab as many seeds as possible from the opponent. Awale, in its different variants, exists throughout West Africa.
From north to south, superb walks
Hiking. This is the main sport activity that will be proposed to you in Benin. This is a good thing because the country is full of trails to walk or even ride. Around the Ahémé lake, discovering the voodoo villages, along the Fishing Road to hike between the fishermen villages, you will also have to fill up with emotions by taking the Slave Road to the Museum of the Door of No Return in Ouidah... In the north too, there are many possibilities to put on your hiking shoes, especially in theAtakora mountain range.
MOUNTAIN BIKING. The south of the country offers a few possibilities to ride a mountain bike, especially around Lake Ahémé and on the Fishing Road, between Cotonou and Ouidah
Safari. Safari enthusiasts will go to the two national parks, the Pendjari National Park and the W National Park. These sites, registered on the Unesco world list of biosphere reserves, will delight both those who want to walk around with a camera in hand and hunting enthusiasts. For the latter, it should be noted that the hunting areas are open from December 15 to May 15. The Pendjari is one of the last viable refuges for elephant and lion in West Africa. For those who want to see the animals, March and April are the best time to see them because the weather is dry and the harmattan, which raises a veil of dust, has stopped blowing, but it is also the hottest time of the year. The rains do not come until May.
Sailing, swimming and relaxing
Fishing. If some structures, especially ecotourism, offer big game fishing trips, it is also fun and pleasant to discover traditional fishing techniques on Lake Ahémé aboard a pirogue.
Kayak. To go for a walk on the lake Ahémé, the hotel Chez Théo proposes kayaks. The most courageous will make the round trip between Possotomé and Tokpa-Domè, opposite (about 10 km).
Swimming. While the ocean is generally very dangerous along the entire Beninese coastline (don't lose your footing when you jump into the water), there are several pleasant beaches in Benin. In Grand Popo, first of all. Bordered by palm groves and almost deserted, it is the most pleasant beach in the country even if, as everywhere, it is better to swim at low tide.
In Cotonou, everything has changed since the Fishing Road was paved in 2020. The spots like restaurants or beach bars have multiplied in the Fidjrossè area and are perfect to spend a Sunday at the beach on a deckchair. The locals also go to Obama Beach in Cotonou for lazing around, a game of beach soccer or beach volleyball. You will have to pay an entrance fee of 100 FCFA, but you will find deckchairs, restaurant, straw hut... Finally, more and more hotels have swimming pools, especially in Cotonou, where it is possible to go for an entrance fee (about 2,000 FCFA for the day). The most beautiful are those of the Novotel Orisha, the Hotel du Lac in Akpakpa or the Golden Tulip Le Diplomate.
Spa. The major hotels in Cotonou (Azalaï, Goden Tulip Le Diplomate, Novotel Orisha, etc.) generally offer a spa. Several formulas are proposed: alone, in couple, hammam, sauna, massages, hydrotherapy...
