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The Super Eagles of Nigeria have arrived in Russia ahead of their international friendly against the host nation on Tuesday, October 6.

The Nigerian team is scheduled to face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in what will be the second senior international meeting between the two countries in 16 months.

The Nigerian delegation arrived in Russia on Friday as preparations intensified for the encounter.

The fixture was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation and is scheduled to take place at the 44,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, a venue that hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria and Russia previously met in June 2025 at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, where both sides played out a 1-1 draw.

Russia took the lead in that encounter through an own goal by Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi before Tolu Arokodare equalised for the Super Eagles.

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Tuesday’s fixture will therefore provide both teams with another opportunity to assess their squads and test players in an international setting.

For Nigeria, the friendly comes during a busy international window that also includes preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Super Eagles recently completed their second qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau before travelling to Russia.

Head coach Éric Chelle is expected to use the friendly to assess his options and give opportunities to players competing for places in the national team.

There have also been changes to the original squad. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and goalkeeper Victory Akpeyi have withdrawn from the fixture, while replacements have been called up.

Home-based players are also part of the travelling group, providing the coaching staff with an opportunity to assess players from the Nigeria Premier Football League alongside established international players.

The encounter is expected to serve as a competitive test for Chelle and his squad as the coach continues to shape the team.

Russia, meanwhile, will host Nigeria at a stadium that has previously staged major international football matches.

The Super Eagles’ first meeting with Russia ended in a draw, making Tuesday’s game another opportunity for both nations to measure themselves against each other.

With the match coming shortly after Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying fixtures, the encounter will also provide the technical crew with another assessment point ahead of future competitive engagements.

The match is scheduled for October 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, with attention now turning to team selection, tactical preparations and the final line-up for the second meeting between the two sides.