Hundreds of football fans were expected to cram Sydney’s international airport terminal today for the much-anticipated arrival of Italian star forward Alessandro Del Piero.

The 37-year-old Del Piero signed a two-year contract on 5 September worth a reported $4 million with Sydney FC and could play for his new A-League club in a pre-season match as early as next weekend.

Del Piero, a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team and who scored a Juventus-record 286 goals in all competitions over 19 seasons with the Serie A club, is expected to revitalise the struggling A-League, which has suffered from declining crowds and the folding of two teams in the past two seasons.

The expected airport turnout for his scheduled arrival has prompted a warning from Sydney chief executive Tony Pignata, who travelled to Turin 10 days ago to get Del Piero’s signature on the contract.

“Regarding Alessandro Del Piero’s arrival, airport security will not allow him to come through if they have safety fears,” he said. “So let’s be orderly and respectful please.”

Pignata said he was pleased with the response of fans – more than 2,000 club memberships have been sold since Del Piero’s contract was signed.

Tickets for Sydney’s first home match at the 45,000-seat Sydney Football Stadium on 13 October have not yet gone on sale. A Sydney official said although the match was unlikely to be a sellout – “that’s a big call” – it could by the team’s biggest first-match crowd in its history.

Sydney coach Ian Crook said Del Piero’s determination to arrive almost a week earlier than expected demonstrated his desire to make good on his promise that he was “not coming for a holiday.”

Del Piero’s official unveiling is expected to be next week when the players will be handed their jersey for the upcoming season. Del Piero will wear his traditional No. 10.

Yesterday, Sydney FC said in a statement that Del Piero would hold his first media conference in Australia tomorrow and take part in his first training session with the team on Tuesday.

His first game for Sydney could be against Newcastle next Saturday, a pre-season match scheduled to be played in the Central Coast town of Budgewoi north of Sydney. However, if Del Piero plays, it is expected to be moved to a larger stadium at nearby Gosford.

Sydney plays its first-round match of the new A-League season at Wellington, New Zealand on 6 October.

The excitement of seeing Del Piero was expected to push crowd numbers “right up there” in the 36,000-seat venue where the opening match is being played.