Stuart Pearce will take charge of the England team for the friendly against Holland on February 29, Football Association chairman David Bernstein has confirmed.
Fabio Capello resigned as England manager on Wednesday following the decision by the FA to strip John Terry of the captaincy because of his pending racism trial in July. Terry denies a charge of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in October.
Harry Redknapp has become the overwhelming favourite to succeed Capello in the long term.
But Pearce, who served as Capello's assistant, is the England Under-21 boss and will take charge of the Great Britain men's Olympic team this summer, will look after senior national team affairs in the short term at least. He had been due to be in charge of the under-21s against Belgium in Middlesbrough on February 29.
Bernstein told a press conference at Wembley: "I can announce that Stuart Pearce will manage the England team against Holland.
"He has huge experience outside and inside the organisation. He has been working with the under-21 team and has been working with Fabio for some time. I have got great confidence in Stuart, we will be in good hands.
"Our priority then will be to appoint a new England manager."
England's interim rugby coach Stuart Lancaster described Pearce as "exactly the right person" to take temporary charge of the national team.
Lancaster is in a similar position with England's rugby union squad, having taken over on a caretaker basis from Martin Johnson for the duration of the RBS 6 Nations.
The two men know each other well. Last week, Pearce rang Lancaster to wish him luck before his first game in charge, which England won 13-6 against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Lancaster described the situation Pearce will inherit as a "complicated dynamic" - but he believes the former England and Nottingham Forest defender is the best man to tackle it.
"He is the ideal person to step in because he understands the culture of the environment and when you understand the culture you have the chance to help shape it," Lancaster said.
"It is a pretty unique situation where England football is at the moment. He is exactly the right person to step into an interim role.
"The thing that will help him is that he understands the dynamic, he has been involved and he is respected by the players.
"I know him pretty well. He came and spoke to the Saxons last year and he rang me last week to wish me well for the Scotland game.
"(If he calls for advice) I will do my best. You have got to understand it before you try and solve it.
"That was the advantage I had back on December 8 when I got the role. I think it is important he brings his own philosophy and his own views into solving it, even if it is for just one game."
It was later confirmed Eastick would step in for Pearce in the game against Belgium.
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