The city is bracing itself for one of the biggest sporting events it has held and Istanbul governor Muammer Guler believes the tight security will prevent any trouble.

"Security headquarters are working with English and Italian police. They will give us information on any hooligans that may come and will take measures accordingly. We don't think there will be any problems in this area," he told Reuters.

Sixty security officials will be on duty at airports receiving the fans to ensure no known hooligans slip through.

Liverpool supporters will enter the country through an airport on the Asian side of the city before being bussed over to Europe. AC Milan fans will fly into the main airport on the European shore.

Thousands of English supporters are expected to come to the city, where two Leeds fans died in 2000 ahead of a UEFA Cup semi-final clash with Galatasaray.

The prospect of so many foreign visitors has whetted the appetite of the local tourism industry and the final is expected to bring in revenues of some 30 million euros ($40 million).

All major hotels in the city are fully booked next week and visitors are having to look for rooms in nearby towns.

The five-star Ciragan Palace, with no rooms available on land, is offering to put up prospective guests on a luxurious yacht moored next to it on the Bosphorus strait.

Seventy thousand spectators are expected at the final at the new Ataturk Olympic Stadium in an outlying district of the sprawling metropolis and each of the finalists has been allocated 20,000 tickets.