Soccer: England line up friendly with South Africa

England will visit South Africa for a friendly soccer international next year.

The game against Bafana Bafana is scheduled to be played in May or June of 2003.

"Part of our international relations strategy revolves around building ties with those nations who we believe are emerging as major forces within the game," said FA executive director David Davies.

The two sides have met only once before, in a friendly in May 1997, when goals from Rob Lee and Ian Wright gave England a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in Manchester.

South Africa and England are both in the World Cup finals later this year in Korea and Japan.