Sports venues face growing scrutiny over use of facial recognition technology

Dom White, a data protection expert at Pinsent Masons, was commenting after an investigation based on freedom of information requests and internal documents revealed that Rome's Olympic Stadium reportedly operated a facial recognition system for four years before Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, ordered it to be switched off for lacking a sufficient legal basis.

"With clubs and venues exploring biometrics to improve stadium access, payments and security, this investigation highlights the heightened regulatory scrutiny that can accompany the use of facial recognition and other biometric data in sport," White said.

The investigation, which drew on freedom of information requests and previously undisclosed documents obtained by IrpiMedia, found that the facial recognition system, used between 2021 and 2025, reportedly captured seven photographs of every spectator entering the stadium and stored those images for seven days alongside ticketholder data.

Documents obtained during the investigation indicate that, following an incident, the software could compare an image of a person of interest against images collected from spectators attending the event.

Following the Garante's intervention, the Italian Interior Ministry suspended use of the technology.

White said: "The case demonstrates the practical consequences of getting compliance wrong. Where regulators identify fundamental concerns around legality or proportionality, they may be prepared to require systems to be suspended or withdrawn altogether, potentially undermining investments that have taken years to deploy."

The investigation also references an earlier reported facial recognition trial at the stadium in 2014 involving technology used to identify individuals among large crowds.

Malcolm Dowden, a data protection expert at Pinsent Masons, said: "The case moves the debate beyond hypothetical compliance risks. While previous discussions have focused on clubs exploring biometric ticketing and fan engagement solutions, the Rome investigation shows how regulators are prepared to intervene where biometric systems are deployed without a sufficiently robust legal framework. It also comes as the EU AI Act begins to shape discussions around the use of facial recognition technologies in publicly accessible spaces."

A legislative decree approved by the Italian government on 4 August could provide a legal basis for the future use of facial recognition technology, although the final text had not been published at the time of the investigation.