Int’l friendly: Nigeria to face Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Oct 6

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Nigeria and Russia will clash for the second time in 16 months when both teams face off in an international friendly inside the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, 6th October 2026, as confirmed by Nigeria’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodatasports.

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Both teams played out a 1-1 draw in another friendly inside Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 6th June 2025 – few days after the Super Eagles retained the Afro-Caribbean Unity Cup Football Tournament trophy in London.

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An own goal by defender Semi Ajayi in the first half put the hosts in front but Nigeria levelled in the second half through Tolu Arokodare.

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Despite failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer, the Super Eagles retained the Unity Cup in London, played out a credible 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw and narrowly lost 1-2 to Portugal in Meira.

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The clash at the 44,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium (which hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals) will be Russia’s second at the venue. They pipped Cyprus 1-0 in a 2020 UEFA Euro qualifier at that venue in June 2019.

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The Super Eagles are currently ranked 26th in the world, while Russia’s ‘Our Boys’ are in the 35th position.

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The friendly encounter will take place exactly a week after the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Day 2 qualifying match between the Super Eagles and Guinea-Bissau’s Wild Dogs in Bissau on Tuesday, 29th September.

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Nigeria will launch their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign four days earlier – against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

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