German ministers won't discuss personalized football tickets

Several potential security measures in German football stadiums are off the table at the autumn conference of ministers of the interior in Bremen.

According to the interior minister of Bremen, Ulrich Mäurer, personalized tickets, comprehensive ID checks, facial recognition, surveillance with artificial intelligence and pyrotechnics are not on the agenda of the three-day conference, which started on Wednesday.

The announcement follows weeks of protests by organized fan groups in stadiums, who have criticized the planned measures, which they see as as blanket surveillance.

Mäurer explained that dialogue with fans was a priority: "We must maintain a sense of proportion and balance in all measures. Safety in stadiums is important. But we must not place all fans under general suspicion just because a few cause trouble."

In a letter to leading interior ministers, which has been seen by Kicker magazine, the German Football Federation (DFB) and the German Football League (DFL) spoke against collective punishments.

They also reject the personalization of tickets, arguing that this would neither increase security nor be compatible with German stadium culture of standing sections.

According to Mäurer, this measure will not be discussed further in the coming days.

"Personalized tickets and comprehensive ID checks are not on the agenda. And with standing areas where everyone can move around freely, the topic makes no sense," he said.