Nigeria's Super Eagles will face Russia in an international friendly on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, with the encounter scheduled for the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia.

The match will kick off at 8pm Moscow time, 6pm Nigerian time, giving fans in Nigeria a convenient evening viewing slot. The fixture has been confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation and the Russian Football Union.

The encounter will be Nigeria’s second meeting with Russia in just over a year after both nations played out a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on June 6, 2025.

Russia took the lead in that encounter through a first-half own goal by Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi, before Tolu Arokodare came off the bench to equalise for the Super Eagles after the break. 

The October friendly forms part of a busy international schedule for both teams. Russia are scheduled to face Iran on September 29 and Namibia on October 3 before welcoming Nigeria to Nizhny Novgorod. 

Nigeria, meanwhile, will have two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying assignments immediately before the friendly, facing Madagascar on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau on September 29.

The Russia fixture will therefore provide another opportunity for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to assess his squad against European opposition following Nigeria’s September competitive fixtures.

Fans wishing to attend the match in Russia can purchase tickets exclusively through Yandex Afisha, the official ticketing partner of the Russian Football Union.

The Russian Football Union has announced that ticket prices will start from 500 Russian rubles, which is approximately N8,000 based on the exchange-rate equivalent cited in the report. 

The Nizhny Novgorod Stadium has a capacity of about 44,000 spectators and was one of the venues used during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. 

Nigeria’s squad for the friendly has already been announced, with several prominent players, including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi, absent from the selection reported for the encounter. 

For the Super Eagles, the friendly will offer another opportunity to build squad depth and test players ahead of future competitive assignments, while Russia will use the fixture as part of their autumn international programme.

The two countries have met only once previously, with their 2025 encounter ending in a draw. The October 6 clash will therefore provide both sides with an opportunity to establish an advantage in their emerging international rivalry.