The Super Eagles have landed in Moscow ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia, with team media officer Promise Efoghe confirming the Nigerian contingent arrived in the Russian capital on Friday afternoon.
Camp officially opened the same day, with seven players, including Ikorodu City duo Michael Atata and Aderemi Adeoye, among the first to check in.
The rest of the squad is expected to trickle in from their various clubs through the weekend, with kickoff at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium just four days away.
The super Eagles coach, Chelle has gone a different route for this one, naming a separate squad from the group that just lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau rather than carrying the same players straight into the friendly.
Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi are among those left out, with Chelle instead leaning on a roster stacked with uncapped players he wants a closer look at ahead of November’s Under-23 AFCON qualifiers.
Two late changes have already shaken things up further. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and defender Victory Akpe have both withdrawn, with Vince Osuji and John Otomewo called in as replacements. This is as much about building depth as it is about the scoreline.
Nigeria and Russia have met once before, a 1-1 draw in Moscow back in June 2025 settled by a Tolu Arokodare equaliser. Tuesday’s rematch kicks off at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, a venue that hosted matches at the 2018 World Cup, with Nigeria due a reported $600,000 in match fees for making the trip.
