The Super Eagles will be without at least seven players for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia following a combination of injuries, club restrictions and administrative challenges.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the absences in an official statement ahead of the encounter in Nizhny Novgorod.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi is among the notable absentees after suffering an injury during Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last week.
Swiss-based defender Akpe Victory has also been ruled out through injury and has been replaced in the squad by Vince Osuji. In midfield, Stade de Reims player John Otomewo was called up as Ndidi’s replacement.
The Super Eagles have also been affected by club-related restrictions, with several players prevented from travelling by their respective teams.
Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola and Moses Usor were all denied permission to join the national team for the friendly.
Onyedika’s club, Eintracht Frankfurt, declined to release the midfielder, while Birmingham City blocked Osayi-Samuel from making the trip. UAE side Al-Wasl also withheld Popoola, while Austrian club LASK refused to release Usor.
Another player unavailable for the fixture is Slavia Prague midfielder Suleiman Mubarak, who could not travel due to issues relating to his residence permit.
Seven Players Missing Against Russia
- Wilfred Ndidi (Injury)
- Akpe Victory (Injury)
- Raphael Onyedika (Club restriction)
- Bright Osayi-Samuel (Club restriction)
- Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola (Club restriction)
- Moses Usor (Club restriction)
- Suleiman Mubarak (Residence permit issue)
Despite the setbacks, head coach Éric Chelle still has a squad of 19 players in camp as Nigeria continue preparations for the match.
The friendly offers the Super Eagles an opportunity to respond positively after their disappointing AFCON qualifying defeat to Guinea-Bissau and also allows Chelle to assess several new and emerging players ahead of future competitive fixtures.
Nigeria and Russia last met in June 2025, when both teams played out a 1-1 draw in Moscow.
