Most of Europe's national teams are in action tonight and while there are a handful of low-key World Cup qualifiers, the bulk of this evening's games are friendlies which represent a last chance for managers, established and new, to size up their squads before their Germany 2006 campaigns get underway on September 4th. All of Ireland's Group Four opponents, Cyprus, Israel, France, Switzerland and the Faroe Islands will feature.
Brian Kerr's most daunting foes, France, deposed as European champions when they lost to Greece in the quarter-finals in Portugal, will have to adjust to life without Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu, Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram, who have all announced their international retirements.
Coping without the great Zidane will be the biggest problem for new coach Robert Domenech to solve as France start afresh against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Rennes with a youthful squad which includes seven uncapped players.
Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez will captain France. The new coach had named Arsenal's Patrick Vieira as France's new captain but the midfielder is nursing a thigh injury and is not available for the game.
Greece play their first match since their astonishing Euro 2004 success in Lisbon by travelling to Prague to face the Czech Republic - who they stunned 1-0 in the semi-finals in Portugal on July 1st.
Greek coach Otto Rehhagel has warned his men against complacency before the start of their World Cup campaign - and while this match might have looked like a gentle workout when it was first arranged before the European championship it will be anything but that tonight.
The Czechs will be without European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved but Karel Poborsky should win his 100th cap.
Germany, who failed to advance from the group stage in Portugal, play Austria in Vienna with Jurgen Klinsmann in charge for the first time since coming out of semi-retirement in California and replacing Rudi Voller as national coach.
The Germans are at least assured of a place in the finals as hosts in 2006 but Klinsmann has a tough task to turn an ordinary side into a world-beating one in little under two years.
Klinsmann took his first step towards that end when he named midfielder Michael Ballack as his captain in place of goalkeeper Oliver Kahn on Monday, saying he preferred an outfield player to do the job.
Italy also start a new chapter under coach Marcello Lippi who has replaced Giovanni Trapattoni.
Lippi caused a stir by dropping his old Juventus forward Alessandro Del Piero from his first squad which is playing against Iceland in Reykjavik.
Spain, who like Germany and Italy also failed to make it to the last eight in Portugal, play their first match under new coach Luis Aragones against Venezuela in Las Palmas.
He has recalled Arsenal's exciting 20-year-old striker Jose Antonio Reyes after his predecessor Inaki Saez left him out of his Euro 2004 plans.
The Netherlands meet Sweden in Stockholm with former Dutch great Marco van Basten in charge for the first time while the Swedes have put their faith in Lars Lagerback following the retirement of his old partner Tommy Soderberg.
Today'sFixtures
(7.45 unless stated)
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - Group One: FYR Macedonia v Armenia (7.00); Romania v Finland (6.30). Group Three: Liechtenstein v Estonia (7.15); Slovakia v Luxembourg (7.15).
WORLD CUP CONCACAF QUALIFYING - Stage Two, Group A: Jamaica v United States (24.00); El Salvador v Panama (02.30, Thursday). Group B: Canada v Guatemala (03.00, Thursday); Costa Rica v Honduras (03.00, Thursday). Group C: St Vincent & The Grenadines v Trinidad & Tobago (21.00).
INTERNATIONAL MATCHES: Austria v Germany; England v Ukraine; France v Bosnia-Herzegovina; Iceland v Italy (8.15); Latvia v Wales (5.30); Moldova v Georgia (5.00); Norway v Belgium (6.00); Rep of Ireland v Bulgaria (7.30); Russia v Lithuania (4.00); Scotland v Hungary (8.00); Sweden v Holland (7.15); Switzerland v Northern Ireland (7.15); Turkey v Belarus (6.00); Croatia v Israel (7.15); Faroe Islands v Malta (7.00); Slovenia v Serbia & Montenegro (7.15); Poland v Denmark (6.00); Spain v Venezuela (9.00); Czech Republic v Greece (7.15); Cyprus v Albania (6.00); Japan v Argentina (11.00).
UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL MATCHES: Hungary v Scotland (5.00); Latvia v Wales (12.00).
