In order to prevent any chaos that has marred previous events, Wembley Stadium has significantly increased security measures for the Champions League final on Saturday. The national stadium will host Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with past finals being tainted by security problems. In the Euro 2020 final, English fans without tickets stormed past stewards to watch their team play Italy, and previous Champions League finals experienced transportation and security issues.
To ensure a safe environment for everyone, Wembley Stadium has implemented the largest deployment of stewards in its history, with 2,500 on duty. The stadium has also undergone 5 million pounds ($6.3 million) worth of security upgrades, including new gates, perimeter fencing, improved locks, and a control room to monitor fan behavior. Stewards will be equipped with body cams for added security.
The Metropolitan Police will have 2,000 officers on duty in London for the final, with additional forces from outside the city. Fan events and unrelated protests will also be monitored by police to ensure a safe environment for everyone. Dortmund and Madrid fans have designated zones in Hyde Park and Victoria Embankment, respectively, with each team allocated 25,000 tickets.
Fans will be allowed to enter the stadium four hours before kickoff, an extended timeframe from the usual two hours. Lessons learned from previous incidents have led to additional security measures being put in place for this year’s final. The chaos of Euro 2020 highlighted the need for improved security to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
