Germany set Italy date

Germany will play Italy in a friendly in their final game of 2016, the World Cup holders announced on Friday.

The game will be played in Italy at an as yet unknown venue on November 15 and will be their second friendly meeting of the year -- Germany beat Italy 4-1 in Munich in March.

"We always want to come up against the best teams in the world. It is the best way to continue our development," Germany team manager Olivier Bierhoff said.

Before that, and after Euro 2016 in France, the two nations will begin their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaigns in September.

Germany are in qualifying Group C for the finals in Russia and will begin their bid away to Norway on September 4 before hosting the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland in October and then going to San Marino on November 11.

Italy are in Group G and will go to Israel in September before hosting Spain and visiting Macedonia in October and then travelling to Liechtenstein on November 12.