Wembley is braced for the biggest security operation in the stadium’s history at this weekend’s Champions League final, with organisers determined to avoid a repeat of the scenes that have marred previous Uefa showpieces.
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund supporters have been assured that lessons have been learned from the Euro 2020 final – which an FA-commissioned review described as a day of “national shame” – and from the previous two Champions League finals.
In Paris in 2022, thousands of Liverpool fans were penned in against fences and pepper-sprayed in the build-up to a final which was delayed by 37 minutes. A subsequent report said that the chaos could have led to a “mass fatality catastrophe”. A year later in Istanbul, Manchester City fans also experienced huge difficulties reaching the stadium in time due to transport issues and many missed kick-off.
An 18-month operation has been undertaken to ensure the 2024 final passes off without incident, with over 2,400 stewards expected to be deployed on the day.
i understands additional practise drills have been taking place to test security workers at matches in the months leading up to the game.
Since the Euros final in 2021, when thousands of ticketless fans stormed the ground and there was widespread drug use and violence in the surrounding area, the FA has spent £5m on implementing new safety and security measures and create a “robust perimeter”.
Ahead of what is expected to be the biggest Champions League final ever, Wembley’s director of tournaments & events Chris Bryant said: “Between ourselves and Uefa we absolutely have embraced the learnings from Paris in the delivery of this event. That is clear.
“One of the things we’ve done is increase the strength of all of the doors. At the Euros final we found people trying to rip the emergency exit doors [off]. Those doors are locked with a magnetic lock system because we need the ability to open them from the control room – what we’ve had to do is put a further lock system on every single door around the stadium now.
“We never saw events like the Euro final, I’m not sure if we’ll ever see them again. But it’s obviously incumbent upon us to ensure that we’ve learned the lessons and implemented additional measures. You’ll have seen the delivery of new gates and fencing around the stadium.”
A review into the Euros final led by Baroness Casey recommended a number of changes to the way Wembley hosted games. Fans this weekend will have their tickets checked three times – at the outer perimeter, before entering a queue into the ground, and at the turnstile entering the stadium. A new control room will also monitor far-reaching CCTV outside even stretching out to the local pubs, rather than just the immediate vicinity of the ground itself.
Brent Council’s public space protection policy forbidding the consumption of alcohol on Wembley Way has been deemed “hugely successful”, and additional sniffer dogs will be in place to detect drug use.
The number of body cams worn by stewards has been increased, and a greater proportion of stewards are now specially trained in security. Many of them are already familiar with Wembley and worked at Saturday’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City.
Extra measures have been taken in the “B2” areas around the ground to allow the stadium to be locked down in the event of an emergency, with many of the physical improvements to the ground having been made in time for February’s Carabao Cup final.
The governing bodies organising the match – including the FA – hope a successful final will be a positive sign that the UK is ready to host Euro 2028 alongside the Republic of Ireland.
They are also confident that fans travelling without tickets will be contained and will not present any logistical issues going into the ground.
Champions League finals traditionally attract thousands of fans travelling to the host city without tickets – despite clubs advising them not to do so – but organisers are awaiting intelligence as to how many supporters from Madrid and Dortmund are set to arrive.
A decision on whether the match will be shown on big screens in fan zones – with Dortmund fans based in Hyde Park and Real Madrid along the Embankment – has not yet been taken. Meanwhile Dortmund fans are set to stage a “fan march” to the ground to add to the spectacle.
Following ticketing issues in Paris two years ago, all tickets will be digital, lessening the threat of ticket touts. Police are understood to be “ready for all eventualities” but are not expected to adopt the heavy-handed approach that has overshadowed previous finals.
“We’re always mindful of the idea that there might be some people out there that don’t have tickets that want to come to a big event, a big occasion at Wembley Stadium, that’s not uncommon,” Bryant added.
“And it’s not like we don’t see ticketless fans at other events as well that need to be managed. All I can say is the plans we’ve put in place to manage ticketless fans are robust and tested and we are prepared for that eventuality. The volume to which it might materialise, we’ll see at the weekend, but I wouldn’t expect it to be anywhere near what we saw on the Euro final.”
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