The decree

Euro2032 stadiums, from barriers to cameras: measures on the way (but only for a few facilities)

Coming soon 'technical standards' for certain stadiums 'in order to ensure the conformity of Italian venues designated to host the UEFA Euro 2032 European Football Championship'

by Lorenzo Pace

23 January 2026

I tornelli di sicurezza all'ingresso dello stadio Olimpico

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

From the increase in security cameras to control the turnstiles to the modular barriers within the sectors that can be raised or lowered according to possible tensions during a match. These are two of the new 'technical standards' for stadiums developed by a decree of the Ministry of the Interior, in agreement with the Ministry of Sport, 'in order to ensure the conformity of the Italian venues designated to host the Uefa Euro 2032 European Football Championship'.

Few obligatory stages

A text that therefore represents the regulations for the facilities in view of the competition that Italy will host together with Turkey. It consists of sixteen articles, ranging from the definitions of zones in the vicinity of stadiums to fire regulations. Many of the measures present, however, have already been decided and implemented in recent years, such as the maximum capacity in the sectors, first aid spots or control rooms.

But there is an important clarification to be made: the new interventions will only affect the candidate stadiums, which currently number more than ten and will become five in October with the delivery of the official list. Not only that, because the second paragraph of Article 1 of the decree specifies that 'newly built sports complexes and facilities are subject to these provisions'; for existing ones they will be optional, even if they are subject to renovation work (for example, the Artemio Franchi would not be obligatory).

Control room comfort

In fact, small changes are also coming for thecontrol rooms, i.e. closed-circuit television systems that allow 'observation of the spectator area and the service area attached to the stadium and its accesses'. They are foreseen in stadiums with a capacity of more than 10,000 spectators in the open air and, with the new changes, must 'be able to accommodate the members of the Gruppo operativo sicurezza (Gos) in adequate conditions of comfort, space and environmental safety'.

The premises must be "positioned in an area of the sports facility from which it is possible to have an overall, total and direct view of the sports activity area and the spectator area, i.e. to allow coverage of most of the areas indicated and to cover the remaining part with the television cameras of the closed-circuit television system". In concrete terms, therefore, the observation devices 'must be installed in such a way as to avoid camera support poles or, where this is not possible, in such a way that they do not obstruct the television cameras for technical-sports purposes and the safe conduct of sports activities'.

The cameras

The chapter on cameras is supplemented. "The presence of at least one camera at each turnstile must be guaranteed, capable of capturing the spectators' faces at the moment of entry, hopefully with a synchronisation mechanism between ticket reading and photo".

The modular barriers

One innovation concerns barriers for separating sectors. They are called 'separators', they are made of non-combustible material and must have a minimum height of 110 centimetres and the possibility 'of elevation to a height of no less than 220 centimetres, either automatically or by means of the assembly of the upper part'. For this, 'separation systems that can be modulated according to the characteristics of the spectators present in the sectors and identifiable in one of the measures below or a combination thereof' will be required.

Organisational and management measures can be applied for the segmentation of the sectors, but in this case 'through the removal of seats and the creation of areas subject to a ban on standing, using, for example, steward cordons, fireproof sheets or other suitable solutions for this purpose and suitable to guarantee safety'.

Firefighting

Particular attention should be paid to the 'plan' for safety management, in particular with fire-fighting measures. A plan 'aimed at maintaining safety conditions, respecting prohibitions, limitations and operating conditions, and ensuring the safety of persons in the event of an emergency'.

And that, in addition to taking into account the specific prescriptions imposed by the Provincial Supervisory Commission, the user companies must comply with a dozen or so mandatory items, including 'provide for the establishment of a register of periodic inspections where maintenance work and inspections relating to the efficiency of electrical systems, safety lighting, fire prevention equipment, safety and control devices, specific risk areas and compliance with the limitation of fire loads in the various areas of the activity where such limitation is imposed must be recorded. This register must also record the training data of the personnel in charge of the facility'.