<cite>Mario Strikers</cite> Online Play Restricted By Region

The European version of Mario Strikers Charged is available now, and brings with it a disappointing revelation about the soccer game's online play: matches versus random online opponents will be restricted to your own region. Quoth the instruction manual:

Note: If you'll be using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in Mario Strikers Charged Football, you will be able to play only with people within Europe. If you choose FRIENDLY and invite somebody living in another continent after having inserted their Friend Code, you *might be able *to play with him or her, but Nintendo does not advise it as the lag could potentially make the match unplayable.

Emphasis mine: note that you're not even guaranteed to have a match if you have someone's friend code. Rather disappointing, but then, by this point you should be used to it.
Mario Strikers Online Matches a Pain [Joystiq]