Russia vs Nigeria: Kick-off time, channel and how to watch

Russia meet Nigeria in a friendly on Tuesday, 6 October, as both sides conclude the first international break of the 2026/27 season.

The match will kick off at 16:00 GMT at the Sovcombank Arena in Nizhny Novgorod. It will be shown in Russia on Channel One, while viewers in Africa can watch on AfroSport TV.

Russia remain suspended from official FIFA and UEFA competitions, but continue to arrange friendly fixtures against a range of international opponents. Nigeria are using their trip to Europe to assess their players and improve their collective performance.

The fixture will be only the second meeting between the two countries. Their previous encounter, also a friendly, ended in a 1-1 draw on 6 June 2025.

Recent form

Russia go into the game ranked 34th in the FIFA world rankings and in strong form. They have won their past four matches without conceding a goal.

Their latest result was a 6-0 victory over Namibia on 3 October 2026, while they also beat Iran 2-0. Those wins followed a 1-0 defeat by Egypt at the end of May.

Nigeria are 39th in the world and have produced a mixed set of results in their recent matches. The Super Eagles defeated Madagascar 2-1 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, but then lost 2-1 to Portugal.

They drew 2-2 with Poland before suffering a 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau in their latest reported fixture.

Russia’s defensive record and run of four successive victories give them the stronger momentum before the match. However, Nigeria’s physical strength and athletic approach are expected to provide a significant test for Valeri Karpin’s side.

The match is expected to be closely contested, with Russia holding the advantage on recent form. Africafoot’s prediction is a 2-1 victory for Russia.

The published 1xbet odds list Russia as favourites at 1.83. A draw is priced at 3.50, while a Nigeria victory is listed at 4.70.