Nigeria to face Russia in October friendly
Nigeria will return to Russia for the second time in 16 months after the Nigeria Football Federation announced on Tuesday that the Super Eagles will play the hosts in an international friendly in Nizhny Novgorod on October 6.
Nigeria’s FIFA match agent Jairo Pachon confirmed, in a statement issued by the NFF, that the game will take place at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, four days after Russia face Namibia in Yekaterinburg, and a week after Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Guinea-Bissau.
The Russian Football Union separately confirmed the fixture on Tuesday, with Valeri Karpin’s team scheduled to play Iran in Kazan on September 29 and Namibia on October 3 before hosting Nigeria. Kickoff time has yet to be announced.
It will be only the second senior international between Nigeria and Russia, following a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium in June of 2025.
Russia took the lead in that game after 27 minutes when Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi turned Viktor Melekhin’s cross into his own net, but substitute Tolu Arokodare pounced on goalkeeper Matvei Safonov’s misplaced pass to equalize in the 71st minute.
The goal was Arokodare’s first for Nigeria and came 10 minutes after he had replaced Victor Boniface. The Super Eagles were without several regulars for that game, including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey and Ola Aina.
That meeting was Nigeria’s first game against Russia at senior level, although not their first experience of playing in the country.
The October friendly will also continue Russia’s unusual international schedule. Russian national and club teams have remained suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions since February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, leaving the national team to fill international windows with friendly matches. -Soccernet
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