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Japanese fans to get behind their Olympic footballers

SI At The Olympics • Grant Wahl: Women's Soccer -- One-on-One with April Heinrichs • Brian Cazeneuve: Pinning away • Tim Layden: U.S. track coach faces tough call • Leigh Montville: A movable feast More Features • Viewers' Guide: What to watch for • Quiz: Today's Tester • Closer Look: Michael Lewis -- U.S. soccer team uses its heads Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Athletes arrive • Photo Gallery: Let the games begin • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Audio and More

BRISBANE, Australia, Aug 29 (AFP) - More than 5,000 Japanese football fans will flock to Brisbane for their country's clash with world number one Brazil during the Olympic soccer tournament next month, according to officals.

Japan Airlines will run extra flights to cope with the expected influx for the September 20 clash with the gold-medal favourites.

Event director Alan Vessey said the game was sold-out.

Brisbane will host six pool games and a quarter-final during the tournament from September 13 to 23 at the 37,500-seat Gabba stadium, which has been re-turfed for the event.

Football will account for 12 percent of the Sydney organiser's (SOCOG) revenue at the Olympics, with 1.4 million tickets expected to be sold for games between 16 teams in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Brazil and world number two Czech Republic will lead the line-up in Brisbane against Slovakia, Kuwait, Cameroon and South Africa.

Brazil are favourites and have spent several months preparing their campaign, with team members expected to arrive on the Gold Coast from Tuesday.

"It is the only medal in football they are yet to win," Vessey said. "Their preparation indicates they are quite serious about it."

Among other teams playing in Queensland, Kuwait is set to arrive on September 7, with Cameroon flying in from Hong Kong on September 9 after preparing in Europe.

Slovakia will wind up training in Perth before heading to Brisbane on September 10.

Vessey said Brazil was in talks with the Brisbane Strikers to play up to two pre-Olympic games, but details were yet to be finalised.

"A lot of the teams have players who are coming out of Europe and it gives them the opportunity to put the team together and prepare it appropriately in time for the tournament," he said.

Kuwait and South Africa are scheduled to play Australia in Melbourne ahead of the home side's opening game against Italy on September 13.

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