Super Eagles Step Up Russia Friendly Preparations as 17 Players Train in Nizhny Novgorod
The Super Eagles have intensified preparations for their international friendly against Russia after 17 players took part in their first training session in Nizhny Novgorod.
Nigeria will face Russia on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium as head coach Éric Chelle continues to assess his options ahead of the team’s next competitive assignments.
The Super Eagles arrived in Russia on Friday and held their opening training session on Saturday.
Among the players involved were goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, 101-cap winger Moses Simon, defenders Benjamin Fredricks and Emmanuel Fernandez, as well as forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Akor Adams.
Popoola Abdulrasaq was also among the players who joined the team in camp.
Chelle gets two more training sessions
The Nigerian team is expected to hold two additional training sessions before the friendly.
Those sessions will give Chelle an opportunity to fine-tune his tactics and assess the players available to him before Nigeria take on the Russian national team.
The fixture is particularly useful because the coach named a largely experimental squad for the October window. The original 24-man selection included several players who have either received limited opportunities at senior level or were yet to establish themselves in the Super Eagles setup.
As a result, the Russia game could provide another opportunity for players to stake their claim for future national-team selection.
Super Eagles recover from Guinea-Bissau defeat
Nigeria enter the friendly after a disappointing start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The Super Eagles opened their Group L campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo on September 25.
However, Chelle’s team suffered a heavy setback four days later when Guinea-Bissau defeated Nigeria 3-0 in Bissau.
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Franculino Dju opened the scoring before Mama Baldé doubled the hosts’ advantage. Álvaro Djaló then completed the victory in stoppage time.
The result left Guinea-Bissau top of the group with six points, while Nigeria remained on three points after their opening win.
Consequently, Tuesday’s friendly gives Chelle an opportunity to shift attention away from the pressure of qualification while continuing to evaluate his squad.
Russia friendly offers chance for new players
Chelle deliberately separated Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying squad from the group selected for the Russia friendly.
The original Russia squad included experienced players such as Moses Simon, Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi and Akor Adams. At the same time, several less-established players were handed opportunities.
The Nigeria Football Federation said the squad included players such as Michael Atata, Samuel James, Kenneth Igboke, Isaac James, Emmanuel Fernandez, Victory Akpe and Abdullahi Bewene.
The midfield options also featured Chibuzo Nwoko, Stephen Michael, Igor Wilfred, Ridwan Abdulrasaq, Suleiman Mubarak and Aderemi Adeoye.
That approach underlines Chelle’s intention to widen his pool of players as he builds the Super Eagles squad.
Ndidi and Akpe among players affected by changes
The squad has also undergone changes since the original list was announced.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi withdrew from the Russia assignment, while Victory Akpe was also ruled out after picking up an injury during training.
The changes mean Chelle has had to adjust his plans ahead of the trip to Russia.
Bright Osayi-Samuel has also reportedly withdrawn from the squad, further reducing the number of players initially selected for the friendly.
Despite the changes, the coach still has experienced players available, including Simon, Nwabali, Iheanacho and Adams.
Nigeria and Russia meet again
Tuesday’s encounter will be only the second senior international meeting between Nigeria and Russia.
Their first meeting took place at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on June 6, 2025.
The match ended 1-1 after Russia took the lead through a Semi Ajayi own goal. Nigeria eventually equalised through striker Tolu Arokodare.
The two teams will therefore meet again just 16 months after that encounter.
Match venue has World Cup history
The friendly will take place at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, a venue built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The stadium has a capacity of about 44,000 spectators and hosted matches during the tournament.
Nigeria are currently ranked 26th in the world, according to the NFF, while Russia are ranked 35th.
Russia, meanwhile, remain suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions following the international sanctions imposed on the country’s football teams in 2022. Consequently, the Russian national side has relied heavily on international friendlies during recent windows.
Super Eagles seek better result
For Nigeria, the Russia fixture comes at a useful point in Chelle’s rebuilding process.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and are now focused on securing a place at the 2027 AFCON while developing more options within the national team.
Therefore, Tuesday’s friendly is about more than the result.
Chelle will want to see how his players respond after the heavy defeat to Guinea-Bissau. He will also be looking for performances from players hoping to earn more regular opportunities with the Super Eagles.
With the squad featuring a mixture of experienced internationals and emerging talents, the Russia game could provide another important test for Nigeria.
The Super Eagles will face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, October 6, with kick-off scheduled for the evening.
