Nigeria will face Russia in an international friendly at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, with the fixture confirmed by the Super Eagles’ FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodatasports.
The meeting will be the second between the two nations in 16 months. Their previous encounter ended in a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 6 June 2025.
Russia took the lead in that match when Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi scored an own goal in the first half. The Super Eagles responded after the interval, with Tolu Arokodare scoring to earn a draw.
The October fixture will be played at the 44,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, which hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. It will be Russia’s second appearance at the venue.
Their first came in June 2019, when Russia defeated Cyprus 1-0 in a UEFA Euro qualifying match.
Nigeria are currently ranked 26th in the world, while Russia’s national side, known as ‘Our Boys’, are 35th in the FIFA rankings.
The friendly has been scheduled one week after Nigeria’s second match in the qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles are due to play Guinea Bissau’s Wild Dogs in Bissau on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
Before that, Nigeria will begin their qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, 25 September.
The Super Eagles will enter the Russia match after a period that has included mixed results and notable performances. Although Nigeria failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer, they successfully retained the Afro-Caribbean Unity Cup Football Tournament trophy in London.
They also held Poland to a 2-2 draw in Warsaw before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat by Portugal in Meira.
Nigeria’s previous meeting with Russia came only a few days after the Super Eagles had secured the Unity Cup in London. That Luzhniki Stadium contest provided an even result, with Russia taking the advantage through Ajayi’s own goal before Arokodare restored parity for Nigeria.
The new fixture will give both sides another opportunity to test themselves in international competition, with Nigeria preparing for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and Russia continuing their programme of international friendlies.