Event Notes: Netherlands To Host UEFA Women's Euro 2017

The Netherlands has been selected to host the UEFA Women's Euro 2017, the first time the final tournament will involve 16 teams. The Dutch FA (KNVB) was named the host by the UEFA Exec Committee, which met in Nyon, Switzerland on Thursday. The KNVB previously staged the 2007 UEFA European U21 Championship and 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup as well as co-hosting the Euro 2000 with Belgium. The final tournament will be played in July-Aug. '17 (UEFA). ... England's national rugby team will play at least one pre-World Cup friendly at Twickenham at 8pm to replicate the late kickoffs the team will have in the tournament, "which, as hosts, they will open against Fiji on a Friday night." Rugby Football Union CEO Ian Ritchie said, "We still have to finalize things, but a late kickoff seems sensible for a variety of reasons. I have spoken to Stuart Lancaster [the England head coach] about this. It would make sense from a playing point of view, as well as an operational one" (London GUARDIAN, 12/6).