Soccer News of Sunday, 9 March 2003

Source: Associated Press

International soccer calendar

ZURICH, Switzerland (March 8, 2003 9:10 a.m. EST) - Schedule adopted Friday by FIFA for international games and exhibition games, dates on which leagues are required to be off.

Clubs must release players four-to-five days before official international games and two days before international exhibition games.

Players from South American nations are not required to be made available to national teams for exhibition games outside Europe: Official games (World Cup qualifiers, contentinental championship qualifiers)

2004-Sept. 4, Sept. 8, Oct. 9, Oct. 13

2005- March 26, March 30, June 4, June 8, Sept. 3, Sept. 7, Oct. 8, Oct. 12, Nov. 12, Nov. 16

2006-Sept. 2, Sept. 6, Oct. 7, Oct. 11

2007-March 24, March 28, June 2, June 6, Sept. 8, Sept. 12, Oct. 13, Oct. 17, Nov. 17, Nov. 21

2008-Sept. 3, Sept. 6, Oct. 11, Oct. 15

--= Exhibition games

2004-Aug. 18, Nov. 17

2005-Feb. 9, Aug. 17

2006-Feb. 8, March 29, Aug. 16, Nov. 15

2007-Feb. 7, Aug. 22

2008-Feb. 6, March 26, Aug. 20, Nov. 20