A vintage gathering of football's golden greats and the stars of the future is promised in January, when Europe and Africa get together for the third Meridian Cup.

The event, organised biennially under the Meridian Agreement linking the Confederation of African Football with UEFA, its European counterpart, has been scheduled for January 27 to February 2 in Bari, Italy. With a junior tournament, a gala match of all-time greats and meetings, it promises to inject new life into an agreement that has had its ups and downs, particularly after the bitterly contested election for FIFA President in 1998.

Europe is Africa's main ally in world football circles since CAF broke off relations with Asia earlier this year, over South Africa's failed 2006 World Cup bid. On the political front, the gathering will thus be a chance for the two continents to clear their lines on the big issues affecting the global game: club-versus-country, World Cup hosting and new rules on player transfers.

On the pitch, the main business will be an Under-17 tournament involving four top teams from each side: Cameroon, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria for Africa, while Europe will be represented by Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic and Spain (winners of the last Meridian Cup, in 1999).

A unique format has been adopted, so that for the first time in international football, players will represent their continent as well as their nation. Each side will play each of the teams from the other continent. The points gained will be added up to a continental total and the overall winner of the Meridian Cup will be either Africa or Europe. All the players from all four teams representing the winning continent will receive gold medals. There will be separate trophies for the best teams and the best players, as well as a Fair Play award.

Two years ago, when the Meridian Cup was staged in South Africa, UEFA decided not to send an all-star team, even though Africa had provided one – and beaten the European XI – at the inaugural tournament in Lisbon. This time, the tournament will again end with a gala match on February 2, bringing together football legends from two continents.

There's no European list yet, but the provisional squad for the African All-Star team reads like a ‘Who's Who' of the continental game. Starting with goalkeepers Chokri El Ouaer, Thomas Nkono and Badou Zakki, it goes on through Abedi Pele, Kalusha Bwalya, Japhet Ndoram and Doctor Khumalo - among others - in midfield, and ends with Rabah Madjer, Lakhdar Belloumi, Rachidi Yekini, Jules Bocand? and Roger Milla in attack.

Whatever the pros and cons of the Meridian agreement – and it has often promised more than it has delivered, on both sides – that should be a mouth-watering prospect for any football fan.

The full fixture list, as released by CAF, is as follows.

Saturday, January 27 Ghana v Czech Republic Nigeria v Portugal Mali v Spain Cameroon v Italy

Monday, January 29 Czech Republic v Nigeria Portugal v Ghana Spain v Cameroon Italy v Mali

Wednesday January 31 Nigeria v Spain Ghana v Italy Mali v Portugal Cameroon v Czech Republic

Friday February 2 Czech Republic v Mali Portugal v Cameroon Spain v Ghana Italy v Nigeria