The Russian Football Union (RFU) has announced that Nigeria’s Super Eagles will play an international friendly against Russia on June 6, despite the European nation’s ongoing suspension from FIFA-sanctioned competitions.
The RFU confirmed the fixture on its website, revealing that the match is part of a series of friendlies scheduled during the upcoming FIFA international break. In addition to facing Nigeria, Russia will also play against Zambia in March and Belarus on June 10.
However, the exact venues and kick-off times for these matches are yet to be determined.
“The Russian Football Union has reached agreements with the football federations of Zambia, Nigeria, and Belarus to hold friendly matches in the coming FIFA windows,” the RFU stated. “On June 6, the Russian national team will play a home match against Nigeria, and on June 10, they will play away against Belarus. The venues and start times of the matches will be announced later.”
Since 2022, Russian teams have been barred from participating in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments, including the World Cup qualifiers. While friendly matches are not explicitly covered under FIFA’s ban, most national teams have avoided scheduling games against Russia to align with the international football governing body’s stance.
The Super Eagles will be expected to field a strong squad featuring players from top European leagues, while Russia will rely on its domestic-based stars.
With Russia still banned from official FIFA and UEFA tournaments, the decision to arrange a friendly against Nigeria could draw scrutiny. It remains unclear whether FIFA will take any action regarding the match, or if Nigeria will ultimately proceed with the fixture.
As the June international window approaches, all eyes will be on the NFF’s decision and whether the Super Eagles will take to the pitch against the sanctioned European side.