Brasileiro club Flamengo had sold 22,607 tickets by Monday afternoon for Wednesday's match against Atletico-MG, which features former fan favorite Ronaldinho Gaucho, who used to play for the Rio team. The number almost triples the 8,000 fans the club has averaged for Brasileiro home games this season. The promotion ran by the club to bring in fans "has worked." With tickets all priced between R$10 ($4.90) and R$20 ($9.90), the ticket counters of the Engenhão and Gavea "had long lines all day" (GLOBO, 9/24). ... The All India Football Federation's bid for the U-17 World Cup has received support from the country's government. The "green signal from the government has come as a great fillip for the AIFF," which is going to push its bid in the coming days. AIFF President Praful Patel said, "The government's pledge to support has made our bid all the more strong. FIFA has already assured us that they will look at our bid favourably" (TNN, 9/25). ... FIFA's mission to "reach the innards of India's football-frenzied populace" received a boost on Monday with the launch of its one-of-a-kind Futuro III Instructors' Course in Bangalore, aimed at promoting the sport among children at the grassroots level in South Asia (TNN, 9/25). ... English Championship club Barnsley is "for sale at a knockdown price," even after Saturday’s 5-0 win at Birmingham. Owner Patrick Cryne, who is in poor health and facing a retrial over Financial Services Authority charges of his IT firm fiddling the company books, wants £1M ($1.6M) plus a £2M ($3.2M) guarantee to cover the overdraft facility. The £6M ($9.8M) loaned to the club by Cryne "has to be repaid only if Barnsley reach the Premier League" (London DAILY MAIL, 9/24).
