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Swiss officials demand ticket change to fight hooliganism

Swiss football fans with fireworks.
Zurich Grasshopper fans light fireworks at the Letzigrund stadium during the derby with FC Zurich on October 21, 2021. Keystone / Ennio Leanza

Cantonal justice and police ministers want only named tickets to be issued for Super League football matches from next season in an effort to help fight hooliganism.

At a two-day meeting of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (CCJPD) in Mendrisio, canton Ticino, officials decided on Friday that only people who can be identified, for example via an ID card, should be allowed to enter football stadiums.

Talks will now continue with the respective city and cantonal authorities on December 10, Lucerne Justice and Security Director Paul Winiker told Swiss public radio SRF. They need to decide whether ID cards will be requested when purchasing a ticket or at the stadium.

Hooligan violence at Swiss football and ice hockey games remains a constant concern. After violence at matches in Zurich and Lucerne in mid-October, Sports Minister Viola Amherd called for the introduction of named tickets. The idea, which exists in Italy and England, has received little public support from Swiss football clubs and fan organisations.

At the Mendrisio meeting, officials also discussed extending named tickets to lower football divisions or to ice hockey matches, but decided against it for the time being.

This summer, FC Sion became the first Swiss club to introduce named tickets for matches. It also closed its visitors’ area. However, in October the club dropped the measure following sharp criticism by fans. The club regretted the fact that other teams had not introduced named tickets at the same time.

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