Nigeria to face Russia and Ghana in June friendlies for 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

By Wale Mustapha

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles will play two international friendly matches in June, against Russia and Ghana, as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The exact dates for the friendlies are yet to be announced, but the matches are expected to help the team fine-tune their tactics before their World Cup qualifying fixtures later in the year.

Nigeria will host Rwanda’s Amavubi in Uyo in September, before traveling to South Africa for a match against Bafana Bafana in the same month. These upcoming qualifiers are critical for the Super Eagles, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe on Tuesday, denting their chances of automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament.

The team, led by coach Eric Chelle, will use the friendlies against Russia and Ghana to build momentum and address the issues that have affected their performance in recent matches.