Russia hosting African football friendlies

In late 2026, Russia scheduled international friendly football matches against African national teams. The Namibia Football Association announced a fixture against the Russia National Football Team for October 3 in Yekaterinburg, intended to provide competitive exposure for the Brave Warriors.

Following this, the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, prepared to face Russia on October 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The Nigerian delegation departed Abuja with a squad intended to evaluate new talent and build depth following a recent defeat in AFCON qualifying. The team faced personnel changes, including the withdrawal of captain Wilfred Ndidi for unconfirmed reasons and the absence of Victor Osimhen due to fitness issues.

By October 2, the Super Eagles arrived in Moscow to begin preparations for the match. Head coach Éric Chelle is utilizing the fixture to evaluate a revamped squad that includes several newcomers and domestic players from the Nigeria Premier Football League, such as goalkeeper Michael Atata and midfielder Aderemi Adeoye. Due to the unavailability of Ndidi and goalkeeper Victory Akpeyi, Vince Osuji and John Otomewo have been called up as replacements. With the captain absent, winger Moses Simon is expected to take a leadership role. The friendly serves as a key assessment period for Chelle as he builds depth ahead of future assignments, including the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.