Pre-game preparation
Collaboration with Local Authorities: An impressive 92% of clubs and stadiums rate their cooperation with local authorities as “good” or “excellent,” highlighting strong partnerships in managing safety and security.
Pre-Event Staff Briefings: Safety and risk management are a priority for 92% of clubs and stadiums during pre-event staff briefings. Meanwhile, 40% emphasise timing and logistics, and only 33% focus on service and client friendliness, suggesting room for improvement in enhancing the fan experience.
Communication of Safety Guidelines: The most common channel for communicating safety guidelines is through the clubs/stadiums’ official websites.
Securing Zone X
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Outer Security Perimeter: On average, the outer security perimeter is established 20 meters from the stadium. However, half of the clubs and stadiums report having an outer perimeter of less than 25 meters, reflecting varying approaches to securing the surrounding area. |
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Bag Policies: Two-thirds of clubs and stadiums permit small bags inside. These bags are typically searched, with the process taking an average of 25 seconds per item. Bag Drop-Off Facilities: Just over half (52%) of clubs and stadiums provide a designated bag drop-off point, offering added convenience for attendees. |
Responsibility for Outer Security Perimeter (OSP): In 64% of stadiums, the police oversee the OSP, while 22% operate under shared responsibility between police and other personnel. In the remaining 14%, stewards also play a role in securing the outer perimeter.
Safety Inside the Stadium: Within the stadium, stewards are primarily responsible for safety, accounting for 92% of cases, underscoring their critical role in ensuring a secure environment for fans.
Security Screenings and entry gate procedures
Entry gate procedures and security screenings were highlighted as the two most challenging safety procedures.
An average of 8 stewards is required per entrance gate on matchday during ingress with an average ingress capacity per ingress point per 60min of 1,048.
Security Screening Methods: The most common approaches to security screenings are body and bag searches conducted by stewards, along with monitoring through CCTV cameras. Additionally, one-third of stadiums utilise metal detectors, while only 2% have adopted biometric identification technologies. Notably, 79% of clubs express interest in adopting biometric access systems, but legal challenges are currently preventing broader implementation.
Securing the stadium premises
The most common and challenging security risk in stadiums is the use of pyrotechnics, closely followed by violent behaviour. Issues related to crowd management, as well as racism and discrimination, also rank high on the list of concerns. In contrast, medical emergencies and slip-and-fall accidents occur less frequently and are generally less challenging, as most clubs/stadiums have established protocols to handle these situations effectively.
Conclusions:
- Collaboration between clubs/stadiums and local authorities is generally effective.
- Pre-game staff briefings primarily focus on safety rather than service or customer friendliness.
- Two-thirds of clubs/stadiums permit small bags inside stadiums, provided they undergo thorough searches.
- While 79% of clubs/staidiums are interested in implementing biometric access, legal obstacles have limited its adoption. As a result, only 2% currently utilise biometric systems.
- The most common and challenging security risks are the use of pyrotechnics and incidents of violent behaviour.
