For both matches, fans who will enter the stadiums must carry their citizenship card.
The identity verification will have 300 mobile devices, an application developed by the National Registry.
“We make this system available to the Tolima authorities for the facial biometric authentication of citizens. This is a joint effort to combat crime and we are sure that this tool will contribute significantly to improving citizen security rates, not only in sports venues, but throughout the department,” said the national registrar, Hernán Penagos.
But how does it work? With this application, when the fan is going to enter the sports arena, their ID, whether digital or physical, is scanned using the QR or MRZ codes located on the back of the document. In addition, facial verification will also be carried out around the stadium.
As explained by the Registry through its web portal, with this code reading the biographical data of the person is extracted so that the police authority can then carry out a facial comparison using a photographic capture.
Read here: Efraín Juárez facing the final against Tolima: “I don’t see it being a duel between David and Goliath”
Then, as emphasized by said government agency, the data collected in the process is sent directly and securely to the Registry, where it is compared with the databases to confirm the identity of the person in real time.
“We are sure that this tool will contribute significantly to improving citizen safety rates, not only in sports venues, but throughout the department,” said Penagos.
In Mexico you can already see the change
Technologies like this are already being used, effectively, in other countries that have also suffered violence in stadiums.
According to a study by the District University of Bogotá, 262 fans in Colombia have died between 2008 and 2024, which marks an average of one fan dying every 20 days.
For example, in Mexico, Fan ID, a mandatory digital verification system that records the identity of fans when entering stadiums, was implemented in 2023. This, developed by Incode Technologies, aims to improve security by knowing the identity of those who enter sports venues and detecting those who disturb the order.
According to Incode spokespersons, this idea arose after the embarrassing events in March 2022 at the Corregidora stadium, Querétaro, which left nearly 30 injured.
“Technology has the power to profoundly transform our societies, especially when it comes to addressing complex social problems such as violence in stadiums. The success of Fan ID in Mexico is a clear example of how innovation can generate tangible results, improving the security and experience of fans,” said Iñigo Castillo, general manager of Incode Technologies for Latin America.
“With more than 2.9 million records, we are demonstrating that technological solutions are not only effective, but can also strengthen the social fabric, promoting safer and more reliable environments for all.”
Now, in Colombia, and with the execution of the Registry, it is expected that from this Wednesday you will be able to start enjoying Colombian soccer without anxiety.
Keep reading: Due to violence, the Registrar’s Office will implement facial verification for finals between Nacional and Tolima by league
