Super Eagles arrive in Moscow for Russia friendly

The Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, has arrived in Moscow to begin preparations for an international friendly against Russia scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026. The match will take place at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

Head coach Éric Chelle is using this fixture to evaluate a revamped squad featuring several newcomers and domestic players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), including goalkeeper Michael Atata and midfielder Aderemi Adeoye. The squad has undergone recent changes following the withdrawals of captain Wilfred Ndidi and goalkeeper Victory Akpeyi. As a result, Vince Osuji and John Otomewo have been called up as replacements.

With Ndidi unavailable, winger Moses Simon is expected to take a leadership role. Other notable players in the squad include Kelechi Iheanacho, Stanley Nwabali, and Bright Osayi-Samuel. The friendly serves as a key assessment period for Chelle as he builds depth ahead of future international assignments, including the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.