Facial recognition for Morocco’s Tangier stadium ahead of 2030 World Cup

The Tangier stadium in Morocco which is earmarked to host some matches during the 2030 FIFA World Cup has been equipped with a cutting-edge facial recognition technology (FRT) system.

This is according to information from the Moroccan Football federation, as reported by Chamaly. Morocco will co-host that edition of football’s biggest event alongside Portugal and Spain, but some matches will be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark the tournament’s 100^th anniversary.

The FRT system is part of extensive reconstructions works which have taken place in the stadium in the past months.  The system is a key part of the stadium’s security architecture, with about 900 surveillance cameras already installed in and outside the stadium.

Also expected to host matches at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from December, the Tangier Stadium has a capacity of 75,000 persons, according to Kick442.

Other renovation features include more VIP lounges, a renovated media tribune, redistribution of spectator seat levels, expanded parking capacity, a superior quality sound system, giant stadium screens, and facilities to streamline movement for people with disabilities.

Securing stadium entry, surroundings

Beyond the stadiums, Morocco is also deploying AI-driven facial recognition systems across cities that will host the AFCON later this year, and then the World Cup in five years’ time.

Per reports, cities like Fez and Rabat have been implementing FRT projects as part of a safe city initiative ahead of these important football tournaments. Local IT firms Finatech Group and Alomra Group are handling the surveillance system deployment in Rabat estimated at over $10 million, We Are Tech Africa reports.

In the United States, which is a co-host of next year’s edition of the World Cup, an FRT system is being deployed in buses to be used by organizers during the tournament. That’s the case with Kansas City where a partnership will ensure each bus in the city fleet is equipped with at least five facial recognition cameras for safety and security purposes.

Biometric ticketing and stadium entry through face verification has also been in use in some World Cup qualifiers, with about 5,000 fans having used the system to obtain entry into Chile’s qualifier games.

Facial recognition catches violent fan in Brazil

In club football, facial recognition and biometric systems are increasingly being deployed. And it’s paying off in terms of tracking football hooligans with a recent example coming out of Brazil.

A violent fan whose conduct led to the death of a young female spectator was identified and arrested thanks to the stadium’s facial recognition system, going by an AFP report republished by RFI.

Since the middle of this year, stadiums in Brazil with 20,000 seats and above are required to install facial recognition and biometric ticketing systems.

Article Topics

access control  |  biometric ticketing  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  video surveillance  |  World Cup