More than 32,000 fans have already entered Ligga Arena with Imply® Facial Recognition

The security and agility in stadium access through Imply® Facial Recognition technology have made this a trend worldwide. One of the most modern arenas in Brazil, Ligga Arena in Paraná, is one of the pioneers in implementing this innovation. The migration to biometric access, which was already a result of the club’s partnership with Imply®, began in November 2023 with the inauguration in the visitor section. From now on, the system will be gradually activated throughout the arena, keeping the club at the forefront of technology.

The stadium was inaugurated on December 21, 1913. Years later, in 1924, when Athletico-PR was founded, it began using the structure. The stadium officially became the club’s headquarters in the 1930s. It has undergone several evolutions over the years and is now one of the most technologically advanced units in Brazil. The capacity of Ligga Arena is 42,372 people for football matches.

Part of this status is due to the partnership between Athletico and Imply®, which began in 2014 with comprehensive solutions for ticket sales, member management, and access control. In 2017, Athletico was a pioneer in the country by adopting digital biometrics in 100% of the stadium, also in partnership with Imply®.

The natural evolution was the adoption of Imply® Facial Recognition Access Control System, initially available at gates D (home fans) and M (visitor fans), and already expanded to the lower ring (gates B, G, H, and O). Since the implementation in November last year until the early days of June this year, 32,315 fans have accessed the stadium through this functionality.

With the completion of the installation of 122 turnstiles with the Facial Recognition system at 14 gates in the arena, the club is now investing in updating members’ photos and registering new ticket buyers. The goal is that, in the near future, access at all gates will be through facial recognition.

The system upgrade proposal aims to transform the entry of members and fans at Ligga Arena. Members and fans can conveniently complete facial registration online and remotely through the Imply® ElevenTickets Platform, without needing to go to the stadium. In addition to security and agility, facial recognition also offers fans a great experience with intuitive and secure use. It is possible to access only with the face, without needing to carry physical tickets or cards, and validation happens in less than 1 second.

One of the major differentiators of the Imply® System at Ligga Arena is the integration of access control with the Government database. The initiative has already proven effective since the use of digital biometrics, by identifying fans with restrictions on stadium access, reducing violence rates, and consolidating the venue’s security to promote peaceful sporting events.

According to Fernando Volpato, Operations Director of Club Athletico Paranaense, at the stadium, the levels of incidents and violence are minimal: “Imply® is a great partner of Club Athletico Paranaense and has been with us since 2014 in Ticketing and Access Control with the innovations we have implemented. We have no records of serious violence incidents. I believe the reduction happened because of our greater capacity to identify and hold fans accountable for their actions. We monitor all internal and external areas of the stadium. In any occurrence, the fan is identified. If it has a criminal or police nature, the fan is directly sent to Special Criminal Court present at all games for applicable legal procedures, including any charges, on the spot, for damages caused to the property. In the case of non-criminal or non-police occurrences, members are submitted to the ethics council for administrative judgment (warning, suspension). When there is damage to the property, the option of immediate damage repair through payment on the spot is given. We have observed that these measures and controls end up deterring misconduct. In 2.5 years, we have had only 15 punishment cases,” Volpato explained.

Secure and technological access with Imply® Facial Recognition

Imply® Facial Recognition System combines a set of functionalities with the highest embedded technologies to increase the precision of the authentication process. Imply® equipment is also one of the most accurate on the market, presenting an accuracy greater than 99.9% (1:N).

The readers meticulously identify characteristics such as facial points and volumetry and compare them with the records available in the database to authenticate the user’s identity. We use artificial intelligence algorithms and deep learning to increase the platform’s speed and precision. Another feature we incorporated is live detection; real-time liveliness detection identifies movements and facial expressions, preventing attempts to use photos or videos, for example, for registration and access. Additionally, we ensure the legitimate identity of registered users through integration with the Government database (SERPRO), which is the largest in Brazil. This process of verifying the captured image with government agencies ensures that the photo and document presented are genuine and actually belong to the registered person. During the capture process, besides using technologies for high-quality photos, our facial registration algorithm uses more than 100 recognition points on the face. However, only 30 of these are necessary for recognition, thus achieving an accuracy of over 99.9%.

In addition to facial recognition, the access system also includes validation by biometrics, NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, and 1D and 2D barcodes (QR Code). The modern design, 7″ Touchscreen LCD, and LED indicator system complement the project, offering an effective and visually appealing service. It is another complete and customized technological solution from Imply®, ensuring security and modernity.

Want to know more about access by Facial Recognition? Visit: Access Control for People and Vehicles | Imply® Technology