Football agent Alexei Safonov has shared his thoughts on Russia’s upcoming BetBoom friendly matches against the national teams of Egypt, Burkina Faso, and Trinidad and Tobago.
“Egypt is a solid opponent, especially with the game being held in Cairo. The other two are a step down in quality, but still a better test than Brunei. On paper, these could be decent sides, but will they field their first-choice lineups? As for the Egyptians, they might field a squad close to their main roster since they need to give their players match practice.
Salah almost certainly won’t be there. The question is whether he’ll recover in time for the World Cup. Even if he does, the coaching staff won’t risk him. In any case, these games are necessary so our players don’t get stuck in a bubble. We want to see our level, gauge the players’ motivation. The stronger the opponent, the more interesting it gets,” Safonov told Metaratings.ru.
During the upcoming FIFA window, Russia will play three BetBoom matches. The away friendly will take place on May 28 in Cairo, followed by a home game against Burkina Faso on June 5 in Volgograd, and a match against Trinidad and Tobago on June 9 in Kaliningrad. The kickoff times for the BetBoom fixtures will be announced later.
In March, Russia faced Nicaragua (3-1 win) and Mali (0-0 draw). Valeri Karpin’s team has been suspended from UEFA and FIFA tournaments since February 2022. In 2025, Russia played ten BetBoom friendlies, winning six, losing one, and drawing three.