Super Eagles Depart for Russia Ahead of October 6 International Friendly

Posted : 02 October 2026

The Super Eagles have departed Nigeria for Russia ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against the Russian national team at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The match is scheduled for October 6 as part of Russia’s autumn international programme.

Nigeria returned home after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their latest 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. The result left the Super Eagles with three points from their opening two Group L matches, while Guinea-Bissau moved to six points.

Coach Eric Chelle has selected a separate 24-man squad for the Russia friendly. The group includes experienced players such as Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Benjamin Fredrick, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Raphael Onyedika and Akor Adams.

The fixture also provides an opportunity for several new players to make their senior international debuts. Ikorodu City goalkeeper Michael Atata, SJK goalkeeper Samuel James and Basel defender Victory Akpe are among those included in Chelle’s squad.

Several established Super Eagles players will miss the encounter. Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze are among the notable absentees, leaving Chelle with an opportunity to examine other options.

Nigeria will face a Russian side that has already begun its October schedule with a 2-0 victory over Iran in Kazan. Aleksandr Golovin scored both goals in the first half, giving Valeriy Karpin’s team a strong start to the international window.

Russia will also face Namibia on October 3 before meeting Nigeria three days later. The Russian Football Union confirmed that the Nigeria match will kick off at 19:00 Moscow time at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

Former Cameroon coach Valery Nepomnyashchy expects Nigeria to provide a difficult test for Russia. He said the hosts could find the Super Eagles more challenging than Iran, particularly because Russia are expected to make significant changes to their lineup.

The upcoming meeting will be the second between the two nations in recent times. Nigeria and Russia played a 1-1 draw in Moscow in June 2025, with Tolu Arokodare cancelling out Semi Ajayi’s own goal.

For Chelle, the friendly is another opportunity to assess his squad after Nigeria missed the 2026 World Cup. The coach will also be able to examine several emerging players ahead of the Super Eagles’ next competitive fixtures.

Super Eagles Depart for Russia Ahead of October 6 International Friendly

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