Several warm-up matches for this year's World Cup soccer tournament in South Korea and Japan are on the schedule Wednesday with some leading teams taking the field without injured star players.
France takes on Russia at the Stade de France outside Paris, but striker David Trezeguet and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez are not expected to play. Trezeguet has a right thigh injury while Barthez hurt his knee Monday night and is doubtful for the game.
Meanwhile Germany will have to do without Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Ziege, who is out for two weeks after having bone spurs removed from his left foot. Also sidelined are Germany's Jorg Heinrich, Christian Worns and Oliver Neuville.
Italy will take the field against Uruguay in Milan without the services of Cristiano Doni, who has a muscle problem. Francesco Totti is also out after straining a thigh muscle against England last month. Christian Vieri will also miss the match because of a sore leg.
Meanwhile, Denmark's national team has stepped up security after receiving a bomb threat ahead of Wednesday's match against Israel. A spokesman for the Copenhagen Police Department said officers are on a state of maximum alert particularly because three anti-Israel demonstrations are scheduled for Wednesday.
The letter warned that Danish football players and spectators could be hurt by what it called an enormous explosion. The letter was signed "Free Palestine."
Other matches Wednesday have Brazil taking on Portugal in Lisbon, England taking on Paraguay and the United States playing Ireland in Dublin. Also Wednesday, Austria hosts Cameroon, Croatia takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece hosts the Czech Republic and Mexico takes on Bulgaria at Giants' Stadium in New Jersey. World Cup co-host Japan faces Costa Rica and Poland plays Romania. Scotland hosts Nigeria and South Africa takes on Ecuador.