There are few more evocative fixtures in world football than Germany against England yet the build-up to Wednesday's friendly in Berlin has been rendered almost meaningless by a high-profile list of absentees.

Ethiopia remained under suspension from world soccer's governing body Tuesday after talks collapsed at FIFA headquarters. Two rival groups are vying for control of Ethiopia's national federation. The country was suspended in July and later kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. FIFA said representatives of a faction led by Ahmed Yassin could not accept that Ashebir Woldegiorgis was...