The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Russia in an international friendly on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, as both nations renew their football rivalry in Nizhny Novgorod.
The fixture, confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), will be played at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium and represents the second meeting between the two countries in 16 months. Nigeria’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodatasports, also confirmed the arrangement.
The friendly is expected to provide Nigeria coach Eric Chelle with another opportunity to assess his squad and test players against European opposition. The encounter will come exactly one week after the Super Eagles’ second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau on September 29.
Nigeria will begin their AFCON qualifying campaign at home against Madagascar on September 25 before travelling to Bissau for the meeting with Guinea-Bissau.
The October clash will also give both teams another chance to measure their progress against each other. Nigeria and Russia last met on June 6, 2025, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, where they played out a 1-1 draw.
Russia took the lead through a first-half own goal by Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi, before striker Tolu Arokodare equalised for Nigeria after the break.
The fixture is important for the Super Eagles as they continue preparations for upcoming competitive assignments. It could also give Chelle valuable insight into his team’s strengths and areas that require improvement.
The Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, which has a capacity of about 44,000, hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Russia will therefore welcome Nigeria to a familiar major football venue for the October encounter.
