The Republic of Ireland and Sunderland will meet at the Stadium of Light on May 14th in a testimonial for Niall Quinn, one that has been awarded to the player in just his sixth season with the club.
The proceeds from the game will go to two children's charities, one in Sunderland and the other in Dublin.
The match will take place three days before the Republic play their final warm-up game for the World Cup finals at Lansdowne Road against Nigeria. Before then they will play Russia (February 13th), Denmark (March 27th), and the USA (May 17th).
Sunderland's decision to grant Quinn a testimonial - when 10 years' service is the usual minimum requirement for such an honour - is a clear indication of how highly the Dubliner is regarded at the club. He was signed by Peter Reid in August 1996 from Manchester City for £1.3 million sterling, 11 years after making his debut for Arsenal.
Quinn's contract with Sunderland expires at the end of next season, just weeks before his 37th birthday, at which point he intends retiring from the game.
Sven-Goran Eriksson will be permitted to resurrect Jonathan Woodgate's England career after learning that the Football Association intends to make the Leeds United defender eligible again for international selection.
The FA is waiting for Woodgate, who won his only full cap against Bulgaria in 1999, to complete his 100 hours of community service before lifting the suspension imposed after he was charged in connection with the street attack on Sarfraz Najeib in January 2000.
A spokesman for the FA said yesterday that they would "re-address the situation" once Woodgate had served his punishment, having been convicted of affray last month at Hull Crown Court.
It is widely anticipated that Eriksson will then be allowed to select Woodgate for England's friendly against Holland in Amsterdam on February 13th.
Lee Bowyer, who was cleared of all charges, has already had his suspension lifted.
Liverpool have ruled out rushing Gerard Houllier back to management duties at Anfield, despite the side's stuttering form which has seen them win just once in their last six Premiership matches.
Houllier is continuing his rehabilitation from heart surgery in Corsica and had pencilled in a return at the start of February.
Yet common sense and medical advice is likely to determine when Houllier does eventually return to Melwood.
"Gerard is away on holiday and is continuing to recover well, but there are no plans for him to return to work yet," said a club spokesperson.
"As always, the club will continue to be guided by Gerard's doctors. He will be back when he is ready to return and not before."
Germany coach Rudi Voller will quit ahead of the 2006 World Cup if he feels he is no longer the right man for the job, he told German daily Bild yesterday.
"Should I encounter any problems I will not be hanging on to my job come what may. If we feel things are not working right, I'll accept the consequences," he conceded.
A woman will referee a Real Madrid tie for the first time when they take on Atletico Madrid in a friendly at Real's Santiago-Bernabeu stadium on Wednesday.
Spaniard Carolina Domenech (25), will oversee the derby, part of the Madrid 2012 Trophy, organised to promote the city's Olympic bid.
