Stockholm  - While tennis players from Israel and Sweden prepare for their upcoming three-day Davis Cup tie, organizers of a protest against the event said they hoped to gather more than 8,000 participants.

The umbrella group, Stop the Match, said Wednesday it was committed to a peaceful protest on Saturday - before the doubles match - near the arena in the southern Swedish city Malmo.

The Davis Cup match has been classified as a high-risk event over potential protests by groups wanting to protest against the recent Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

Olof Holmgren, one of the group's founders, told reporters that 100 marshals were to be posted along the route of the march and would also ban masked demonstrators.

Per Gahrton, head of the Palestine Solidarity Association in Sweden, was to speak at a meeting and said their organization had always used non-violent means.

During the march on Saturday the groups planned to raise funds for a Palestinian sports club on the West Bank. The funds were to be used for footballs and other equipment.

Last month, Malmo city council's board for leisure, recreation and sport activities voted that the tie would be played without any paying spectators, citing security concerns.

Other groups including the militant leftist group Anti-Fascict Action (AFA) have called for a protest on Friday before the opening of the match. (dpa)