By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria will take on the Russian national team in a landmark fixture marking Russia’s return to the global football stage, at the iconic Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
The international friendly, confirmed by the Russian Football Federation, represents a major step in Russia’s efforts to reintegrate into world football.
This match will be the first-ever senior international meeting between Nigeria and Russia, though both nations have faced off at various youth levels in the past.
The encounter is set to draw significant global attention, with two footballing cultures meeting at one of Europe’s most storied venues.
Scheduled as one of Russia’s initial high-profile friendlies since their hiatus from international competition, the game is part of a broader diplomatic and sporting initiative to re-establish ties through football.
Nigeria, a three-time African champion, brings a squad brimming with talent and international experience, providing a stern test for the hosts.
Russia will also face Zambia’s Chipolopolo in another friendly, but the meeting with Nigeria is seen as the highlight of their reentry program.
With the Luzhniki Stadium—famous for hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup final—set as the battleground, the fixture promises to be a symbolic and compelling chapter in both nations’ football stories.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
