Russia will host Nigeria in an international friendly on June 6, at the iconic Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the Russian Football Union has announced.
The match will be the first-ever senior international meeting between the two nations.
Russia, currently unranked by FIFA due to their suspension from international competitions, are gradually rebuilding their global football presence.
Nigeria, ranked 43rd in the latest FIFA world rankings, will be keen to use the game as part of preparations for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
This fixture also marks Russia’s return to their main football venue for the first time since their goalless draw with Croatia in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier on September 1, 2021.
Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the 2018 World Cup final, remains one of the most iconic football grounds in Europe.
Following the Nigeria clash, Valery Karpin’s men are also scheduled to face Belarus in another friendly on June 10 in Minsk.
The game in Moscow could carry added sentiment for Nigerian players who have ties to Russian football.
Ahmed Musa and Chidera Ejuke are two Super Eagles stars who previously played for Russian giants CSKA Moscow and are familiar with the atmosphere the Luzhniki offers.
Before facing Russia, Nigeria will participate in the Unity Cup, an invitational tournament in May that will feature fellow African rivals Ghana, as well as the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica and the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Super Eagles open their campaign with a mouth-watering clash against Ghana at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on Wednesday, May 28.
With two strong tests lined up before crucial qualifiers resume, head coach Eric Chelle will be eager to assess his squad depth and fine-tune tactics ahead of a busy international calendar.
