They'll be playing football at Arizona Stadium on Sunday, but there won't be any touchdowns thrown. There won't be field goals kicked or quarterbacks sacked, either.

But there will be goals scored, shins kicked and corner kicks taken.

Actually, they'll be playing futbol - soccer, international style. Austrian professional club FC Linz takes on Atlante, from Mexico, Sunday at 4 p.m. in a match featuring some of the world's top players in Hugo Sanchez of Linz and Jorge Campos of Atlante.

Before the match, there will be a game between the semi-pro Tucson Amigos and the Arizona Phoenix. A clinic for youth players will also be held.

The match marks the return of professional soccer to Arizona Stadium after an 18-year hiatus. In 1978, the Dallas Sidekicks of the North American Soccer League played an exhibition match there.

Linz is in Tucson for about a week for "spring training," taking a break after the first half of the Austrian season. The team also played in Tucson last year. Linz' season starts up again in March.

Yesterday, the Linz squad was to play the Amigos in a warm-up scrimmage, but the rain and concern for the turf prompted game organizer Dave Sitton of the Enterprise Group to cancel the game. Nick Seward, a junior on the UA men's club soccer team, said he's excited to see professional soccer come to Tucson. He was to play yesterday with the Amigos against Linz and has been watching Sanchez play since childhood.

"Hugo Sanchez is one of the world's best, and it's exciting to be able to go out and see the skill that he has," Seward said.

Linz' coach Heinz Hochauser said the weather in Tucson has been ideal for training and that the field at Arizona Stadium is in good shape.

"I think the conditions are good. This field is in good condition, the weather is fine," Hochauser said. "The field is a little small, but it doesn't matter."

And yesterday's rain - a rare sight for Tucsonans - didn't matter either. Hochauser said the cooling rain was a welcome relief for the team.

He also said his family back in Linz was more than just a little bit jealous.

"I was just on the phone to Austria, and it was pretty damn cold and snowy," Hochauser said. "So, what we have here is the best weather we can imagine."

In Sanchez, Hochauser has one of the best players he could imagine. Sanchez, who has represented Mexico in five World Cups since 1978 and has been one of the sport's most prolific scorers, moved to Linz last season after a stint with Atlante. He has helped guide the Linz team to a first-place standing in the Austrian first division.

Hochauser said Sanchez, who has played in European soccer before in Spain, had no trouble making the adjustment from the Mexican to the Austrian style of play.

"He knows how to play in Europe, he knows how to play in a team, so there is no problem," Hochauser said. "He's dangerous in the box, and he's a good scorer."