Opening ceremonies for the London Olympics are two days away, but competition kicked off Wednesday with a slate of women's football matches.

The action started on the same day a strike that threatened to cause disruption at London's Heathrow Airport was called off.

A workers' union representing immigration staff at the airport planned the strike for Thursday, but the union announced it has reached a deal with the government and will cancel plans for a 24-hour walkout.

The strike could have created serious delays for travelers arriving for Friday's opening ceremony in London.

In soccer competition Wednesday, host Britain takes on underdog New Zealand, which has never won a game in Olympic play. Some of the top teams at the Olympics also square off, with Japan facing Canada and the top-ranked United States playing France.

More than 10,000 athletes are competing in 26 sports at the Olympics. The competition runs until August 12.