This biometric solution will allow subscribers to register as users through a selfie and a photo of their identity document, identifying themselves with facial recognition on their mobile device before entering the stadium
The collaboration with the Mestalla team is the first FacePhi project for a sports club, after having consolidated its presence among major banks, financial groups and hospitals
FacePhi makes the leap into the world of big sports clubs and will introduce a biometric access system in the Valencia CF stadium. This innovative project, with which the technology company has won the ‘Fan Engagement’ category of the ´Valencia Innovation Hub’, will verify the identity of the subscribers at their entrance to the Valencian coliseum with facial recognition technology, thus improving their experience and speeding up the step to the seats.
First, the subscriber will register in the Valencia CF app, through an onboarding process for which only a selfie and a photo of the national identity document will be necessary, which will confirm the identity of the user. Once this simple step has been carried out, the subscriber will be able to access the interior of the stadium simply by approaching the enabled readers in the entrance area, opening the app to identify themselves through facial recognition with a selfie and showing the QR code generated by the app.
“The e-football technology is having an increasing positive impact, both to improve the health and performance of professionals and to guarantee the best possible experience for fans. Valencia CF has given us a great opportunity to demonstrate the usefulness of biometric technology at the entrance to large stadiums, where thousands of people usually gather, and both security and speed in access control are key factors” explains Javier Mira, CEO of FacePhi. “At FacePhi we have extensive experience in sectors where identity protection is very important, such as banking, finance or healthcare. In the current post-Covid-19 context, it is a matter of time before the large sports clubs adopt biometric technology to optimize access to their stadiums” says the manager.
Biometric technology, a winner in the ‘VCF Innovation Hub’
The birth of this project has been possible thanks to the ‘VCF Innovation Hub’, the platform launched by the Valencian club, together with Startup Valencia, to support emerging talent, detect trends, improve the fan experience, anticipate future needs and keep growing close to innovation and technology.
This initiative, which arises as a clear commitment to the future, has closed its second edition with more than 70 applications, of which only 22 companies, differentiated into four categories (Academy, Medicine, Smart Stadium and Fan Engagement), were selected to present their project to the jury. FacePhi, which participated in the Fan Engagement category, focused on getting the best possible experience for the fan, has been the winner of the 22 finalists. “Football is pure emotion, and the experience in the stadium is irreplaceable, but modern clubs must try to take care of their fans in many other details, starting with the accessibility of their digital spaces and the facilities when using their tickets,” concludes the CEO of FacePhi.
