Conformal anomaly of (2,0) tensor multiplet in six dimensions and AdS/CFT correspondence

We compute the conformal anomaly in the free d = 6 superconformal (2,0) ten sor multiplet theory on generic curved background. Up to a trivial covarian t total-derivative term, it is given by the sum of the type A part proporti onal to the 6-d Euler density, and the type B part containing three indepen dent conformal invariants. Multiplied by the factor 4N(3), the latter Weyl- invariant part of the anomaly reproduces exactly the corresponding part of the conformal anomaly of large N multiple M5-brane (2,0) theory as predicte d (hep-th/9806087) by AdS(7) supergravity on the basis of AdS/CFT correspon dence. The coefficients of the type A anomaly differ by the factor 4/7 x 4N (3), so that the free tensor multiplet anomaly does not vanish on a Ricci-f lat background. The coefficient 4N(3) is the same as found (hep-th/9703040) in the comparison of the tensor multiplet theory and the d = 11 supergravi ty predictions for the absorption cross-sections of gravitons by M5 branes, and in the comparison (hep-th/9911135) of 2- and 3-point stress tensor cor relators of the free tensor multiplet with the AdS(7) supergravity predicti ons.