Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov has arrived in Russia to join the national team training camp ahead of three international friendly matches.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper was expected to join up with the squad location on September 22 after landing at the airport, where he paused to pose for photographs with waiting supporters. Citing the press service of the Russian Football Union, Sport-Express reported that officials welcomed Safonov home, noting that he started taking pictures with fans immediately upon arrival.
Head coach Valery Karpin has selected Safonov for a series of three friendly fixtures played under the BETBOOM banner. The national team will open the schedule against Iran in Kazan on September 29, before traveling to face Namibia in Yekaterinburg on October 3. Russia will conclude the international series against Nigeria in Nizhny Novgorod on October 6.
Sanctions and international status
The Russian national team has been barred from participating in official international competitions organized by world governing body FIFA and European governing body UEFA since February 2022. Due to the ongoing suspension, the national side has been restricted to playing non-competitive friendly matches against international opponents.
The Russian Football Union, which governs domestic league football and manages the national representative teams, has arranged occasional friendly fixtures during official FIFA international breaks to maintain match readiness for senior players.
Safonov's career background
Safonov is among the most prominent Russian footballers currently playing in major European leagues. He developed through the youth academy at Russian Premier League club Krasnodar, eventually becoming team captain before completing a high-profile transfer to French champions Paris Saint-Germain in June 2024. Paris Saint-Germain compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football, and regularly participate in European club competitions.
Coaching and host venues
National team manager Valery Karpin, a former Russian international midfielder who spent much of his playing career in Spain's La Liga with Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo, has coached the national side since July 2021.
The three upcoming matches will take place in venues that hosted matches during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Yekaterinburg in the Ural region, and Nizhny Novgorod on the Volga River all feature modern stadium facilities designed for major international sporting events. Safonov and his teammates are scheduled to begin full squad training sessions ahead of the opening fixture in Kazan.
