Adelaide’s Coopers Stadium, home of Adelaide United Football Club, will become the third venue of its kind to adopt facial recognition technology, as part of ongoing improvements to the Hindmarsh facility.
On the back of last year’s successful FIFA Women’s World Cup games at the venue – which saw $53 million invested in upgrading the stadium and more than 65,000 supporters through the gates during the five sold-out games – Coopers Stadium has now introduced facial recognition technology.
Effective from 1 March 2024, this new technology is in line with Melbourne’s AAMI Park and Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, both of which introduced facial recognition last year, and will enhance the stadium’s security and ability to identify any persons of interest.
The technology will be first employed for the upcoming A-League Pride Cup match between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory on Saturday 9 March.
Adelaide Venue Management (AVM), which manages and operates Coopers Stadium, has this week updated venue conditions of entry and signage at the stadium.
AVM Chief Executive Officer Martin Radcliffe says the changes bring Coopers Stadium in line with other interstate venues, helping create a safe and enjoyable experience for attendees, players and staff.
“At Coopers Stadium, we are all about celebrating football and embracing the vibrant experience that fans love,” he said.
“We constantly review and update our match day operations and delivery – we want all fans, no matter who they support, to have a positive, fun and safe day out.”
Adelaide United Chief Executive Officer Nathan Kosmina adds, “We welcome and are delighted that Coopers Stadium is implementing enhanced security measures this season. We frequently engage with our members and fans regarding stadium security to understand how we can best continue to provide a safe and family-friendly environment for everyone attending our A-League matches.”
Kosmina continues, “This increased security investment, coupled with the State Government’s $53 million upgrades ahead of last year’s hugely successful FIFA Women’s World Cup, underscores AVM and Adelaide United’s commitment to ensuring the safety of fans as a priority, while fostering an electrifying atmosphere at what is the best football stadium in Australia.”
