Russia's upcoming international friendly against Nigeria could present a tougher challenge than their recent encounter with Iran, according to comments from renowned Russian coach Valery Nepomnyashchy.

The remarks came after Russia defeated Iran 2–0 on September 29, with the result providing a strong start to the country's October international programme.

Russia are scheduled to face Namibia on October 3 before taking on Nigeria three days later at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The Russian Football Union has officially confirmed both fixtures as part of the national team's October training camp.

Nepomnyashchy, speaking about Russia's upcoming fixtures, indicated that the meeting with Nigeria could prove particularly demanding, especially with the Russian team expected to make significant changes to its starting lineup.

His assessment comes as Nigeria prepare to regroup following a disappointing second matchday in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Super Eagles began their qualifying campaign with a 2–1 victory over Madagascar in Uyo. However, their momentum was halted in Bissau on September 29 when Guinea-Bissau secured a convincing 3–0 victory over Eric Chelle's side.

The defeat leaves Nigeria with three points from their opening two matches and puts additional focus on the squad's preparations for the friendly against Russia.

Unlike the AFCON qualifying fixtures, the Russia encounter provides Chelle and his technical team with an opportunity to assess other players, experiment with combinations and examine the depth available within the national team.

Russia, meanwhile, will have one more test before facing the Super Eagles. The Russian Football Union confirmed that the team will host Namibia in Yekaterinburg on October 3 before travelling to Nizhny Novgorod for the Nigeria fixture on October 6.

Russia's 2–0 victory over Iran was secured on September 29, with Aleksandr Golovin scoring both goals. The result continued Russia's unbeaten start to its current home fixtures and gave the squad confidence ahead of the remaining October matches.

The Nigeria encounter will also give the Super Eagles a chance to respond on the pitch after the heavy defeat in Guinea-Bissau.

The two countries previously met in Moscow in June 2025, when they played out a 1–1 draw. Nigeria will now return to Russia looking to use the October friendly as part of its preparation for the next phase of the AFCON qualifying campaign.

For Russia, the match represents another opportunity to test the squad against a strong African opponent, while Nigeria will be looking to assess its options and regain momentum following the setback in Bissau.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia