In Brazil, Czechia and Canada, your face is your ticket

The use of face biometrics in sports venues continues to evolve globally.

In Brazil, the Pará Olympic Stadium, Mangueirão, has implemented facial recognition from Imply for access control. The stadium is now equipped with 100 cameras to control venue access. Imply says its system integrates natively with ticket sales platforms and club management systems, and enables authentication in less than one second with an accuracy rate of 99.9 percent.

In a release, the State Secretary of Sports and Leisure of Pará, Cássio Andrade, says that the state invested in the tech “with the goal of increasing security levels and speeding up fan access to Mangueirão,” and that the system “brings more agility and convenience to fans of any home team playing at Mangueirão.”

TruCrowd facial check-in returns to COE

Czech On-line Expo, an event for the Czech and Slovak digital and marketing community, has deployed TruCrowd Fast Track for the second year in a row, offering face-based check-in with dedicated fast lanes, so attendees can skip regular queues.

A release from TruCrowd says “faster entry is no longer ‘just logistics.’ It is now part of the product of the event.”

“Less time in line means more time with speakers, exhibitors, and networking.”

The system invites attendees to opt in ahead of time via a unique link, creating “a predictable and scalable entry flow.”

Czechia-based TruCrowd recently agreed to a pair of strategic partnerships (with Alloc8 and Urbo Studio) giving it access to the entertainment and event markets in the UK, Bulgaria, and other international markets.

Wicket comes to Canada with Calgary Flames integration

Wicket continues its success providing facial authentication for live sporting events. The Cambridge-based company has logged its first Canadian customer, announcing that the NHL’s Calgary Flames will deploy opt-in facial authentication for VIP entry at the Scotiabank Saddledome, starting this month.

The Flames are preparing to move to a new arena, Scotia Place, in 2027. The Saddledome deployment positions Wicket as a partner in the new venue, where it plans to expand facial ticketing capabilities.

“We’re always looking for ways to enhance the experience for Flames fans, and this partnership with Wicket positions us at the forefront of fan-centric innovation,” says Ziad Mehio, chief strategy & innovation officer at the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. “With the upcoming move to Scotia Place, we’re excited to test new technology that will help make every visit more seamless and enjoyable.”

Wicket also recently announced an expanded agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS) to deploy Wicket’s biometric tech across multiple MLS league events in 2026. A release says the collaboration builds on Wicket’s successful participation in the MLS Innovation Lab, and on Wicket’s “impactful presence at key MLS tentpole moments, including multiple MLS NEXT events and the 2025 MLS All-Star Game in Austin.”

“Our work with MLS over the past two years proved that biometric identity can meaningfully improve how large-scale soccer events operate,” says Glenn Borgmann, head of partnerships for Wicket. “This expanded partnership takes that momentum further, delivering faster check-in, better operational visibility, and a foundation for smarter fan engagement across the league.”

Wicket deployments in 2026 will include several of the league’s flagship youth and development events, including the Generation Adidas Cup, MLS NEXT Flex and MLS NEXT Cup.

Article Topics

access control  |  biometric ticketing  |  biometrics  |  face biometrics  |  facial authentication  |  identity verification  |  Imply  |  TruCrowd  |  Wicket