Argentina may be without their ever intimidating supporters when they face the Super Eagles in a World Cup potentially explosive match on June 26 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The match comes up a day and four years after their last World Cup clash at Port Alegre, a Brazilian border town with Argentina. Even though the former two-time World Cup holders won the match 3-2, it was not without the usual harassment of Nigerian supporters by the Argentine hooligans.

A Nigerian journalist, the late Felix Okugbe was dispossessed of his electronic note book by the Argentine hooligans after the epic encounter.

Record of thefts and harassment of Argentine hooligans has raised concern with the government which is making efforts to save the country’s image. One of the step is the compilation of names of known hooligans who must be prevented from travelling to Russia.

Agency reports have it that the Argentine government on Tuesday confirmed that it will sign an accord with Russia aimed at preventing the country’s more than 3,000 hooligans from attending the  Russia 2018 World Cup.

In view of this development, the new deal, which will be formally signed in the coming days, includes the names of fans banned from Argentine soccer grounds and other known members of the notorious Barras Bravas, the organised fan groups who have wreaked havoc at local stadiums.

“A list of 400 names of Argentines who will not be able to enter stadiums was handed over and it is estimated that the definitive database we send will have around 3000 names,” said Guillermo Madero, the national director of security at Argentine football matches.

A fan of Argentine soccer team Boca Juniors confronts police during riots after celebrations of Boca Juniors Fan Day in downtown Buenos Aires December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci (ARGENTINA – Tags: SPORT SOCCER CIVIL UNREST) – RTX16G4S

The information will be shared with airlines and Russian immigration authorities and Argentine officials say the Fan ID, which supporters get when they buy tickets to the games, will act as another barrier.

Argentina will also send six law enforcement officials to Russia to help coordinate with local police and officials from the other 30 competing nations.

The Barras are fixtures at most top Argentine clubs and have been responsible for much of the violence that has sullied the domestic game in recent years.

In addition to launching violent attacks on other fans, and sometimes even players, they control the sale of some tickets and are often involved in other illegal activities outside football.

Sometimes, security men had to use water canon to disperse riotous Argentine fans.

    Argentine media have reported that Barras from Boca Juniors met with their counterparts from Russian clubs Dynamo Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg in February and officials are taking as many preventive measures as possible.

“We believe that the barras will go to Russia whatever but they are not going to get into the grounds,” said Juan Manuel Lugones, the executive secretary of the agency set up to prevent violence at sports events in Buenos Aires.

Some 44 882 Argentines have bought tickets for the tournament, according to the latest FIFA figures.

The match with the Super Eagles will be the fifth in six World Cup tournaments that both countries have jointly qualified for. Previous encounters have been keen contested and Argentina won all by the odd goal.

Even the encounters at the two Olympic football tournaments that both featured were also keenly contest with victories equally shared and also by the odd goal. Nigeria won the Olympic gold medal in 1996 beating Argentina 2-1 while Argentina did the same at Beijing 2008 winning 1-0.