Qld: Japanese soccer fans set to hit Brisbane for Games

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2000
Qld: Japanese soccer fans set to hit Brisbane for Games

More than 5,000 Japanese football fans will descend on Brisbane for the country's clash
with world number one Brazil during the Olympic soccer tournament in September.

Japanese airlines - JAL - will run extra flights to cope with the influx, which is
set to arrive in time for the September 20 clash with the gold medal favourites.

The Japanese National Olympic Committee is behind the 5,300-strong contingent -- which
will also feature up to 350 Japanese newspaper and television journalists.

SOCOG Brisbane event director ALAN VESSEY says the game is sold-out, along with the
quarter final on September 23.

Brisbane will host six pool games and a quarter final during the tournament from September
13 to 23 at the 37,500-seat GABBA.

Mr VESSEY says 67 per cent of tickets have been sold so far, with 80 per cent expected
to be sold by the opening ceremony on September 13.

Soccer will account for 12 per cent of SOCOG's revenue at the Olympics -- with 1.4
million tickets to be sold for games between 16 teams in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney,
Adelaide and Brisbane.

AAP RTV ap/smf/jn

KEYWORD: OLY SOCCER BRISBANE (BRISBANE)

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