A woman from Kirov, western Russia, shared a video of the spectacle over the Nizhny Novgorod stadium, where England will play Panama on June 24.

‘What the hell was that?’ the woman posted, alongside the video.

‘It doesn’t look like anything I’ve previously seen.’

The footage shows a bright rocket trail bursting into a bizarre ‘stingray’ shape over the city.

Some onlookers claim the sighting is proof aliens are in town for a spot of footie this summer.

‘The aliens have arrived for the World Cup,’ said one.

‘Is that a rocket, a fireball or a UFO over Nizhny Novgorod? Talk to me comrades, I’m worried!’ posted Andrey.

‘I’ve seen alien life and it looks like a stingray,’ said one.

As it developed, it morphed into a jellyfish in the night sky, said another.

‘What an amazing display.’

However, the spectacular footage has been explained by Russian space officials.

The eerie light show coincided with a Soyuz-2.1.B launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome in the country’s sub-Arctic Arkhangelsk region.

Source: Metro.co