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 Oct. 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 Tuesday, with Valeri Karpin's team scheduled to play Iran in Kazan on Sept. 29 and Namibia on Oct. 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 Super Eagles played at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, although not at Nizhny Novgorod. They lost 2-0 to Croatia in Kaliningrad before Ahmed Musa scored twice in a 2-0 win over Iceland in Volgograd.
They were eliminated after a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in St. Petersburg. The Eagles were all set to advance with a draw until Marcos Rojo scored an 86th-minute winner after Victor Moses had equalized from the penalty spot.
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.
For Nigeria, the trip comes after the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup and forms part of preparations for qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Eric Chelle's team retained the Unity Cup in London in May, beating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the semifinal and Jamaica 3-0 in the final. They followed that with a 2-2 draw against Poland in Warsaw on June 3 before losing 2-1 to Portugal in Leiria seven days later.
Before traveling to Russia, Nigeria are scheduled to begin their AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sept. 25, followed by the away game against Guinea-Bissau in Bissau on Sept. 29.
The Russia game will therefore give Chelle another opportunity to assess his squad after the opening two competitive games of the new qualification cycle.
