DFL supporting Ecuadorian football to enhance safety for stadium-going fans

Photo: DFL/Getty Images/Lukas Schulze
  • German football league to support Ecuadorian counterparts in specific areas related to safety protocols and stadium security
  • DFL representatives will visit Ecuador to meet with league and club officials, analysing conditions and putting together a proposal of enhanced (security) regulations

5 September 2023 – The DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga is working closely with the Liga Profesional de Fútbol del Ecuador (LigaPro) to support the enhancement of safety protocols and stadium security at top-flight matches in Ecuador, as well as advancing both leagues through a mutually beneficial expertise exchange in the broader context of league and club management.

The key objective is to enhance the area of security and safety protocols, thereby strengthening the position of football and the attractiveness of the stadium-going experience throughout Ecuador. In particular, the two league organizations will analyse the current security procedures in place and develop a proposal for improved regulations based on the benchmarks set by current Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 policies.

LigaPro’s President Miguel Ángel (right) and DFL’s Officer International Affairs Marcel Frei.
Photo: DFL

The partnership was officially signed by LigaPro’s President Miguel Ángel Loor Centeno and DFL’s Officer International Affairs Marcel Frei during an official delegation visit last month in which senior executives from LigaPro attended the Bundesliga’s Matchday 1 fixture between Eintracht Frankfurt and SV Darmstadt 98, learning more about matchday operations from Joachim Baur, Head of Stadium and Infrastructure at the DFL.

Both organisations will also take part in stakeholder workshops in Ecuador, inviting experts to meet with league and club representatives to assess the specifics of stadium safety, including but not limited to inspections, controls and test exercises.

Ansgar Schwenken, DFL Director of Match Operations and Fans, said: “We are very pleased that the intensive work in security management over the past years in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 is now extending to Ecuador and that we can support the development of the security sector within the Ecuadorian league as a well-trusted partner leveraging DFL’s extensive experience in this field.”

After the visit to the Bundesliga in Frankfurt, Miguel Angel Loor, President of the Ecuadorian LigaPro stated that “they (The DFL authorities) were impressed by our growth in these 5 years; taking the development of European football over the last decades into account, comparatively it’s a very short time to witness such significant changes as the ones we’ve achieved”. 

“We aim to achieve a top-tier security system in our stadiums. Additionally, enhancing the stadium experience to attract a larger audience. Both are primary conditions for attending a massive spectacle. Undoubtedly, this experience enriches us. Connecting with leagues of this caliber and knowing that they view us as an association-worthy league fills us with pride. Ecuador is viewed favorably, and we must continue to grow and tirelessly work towards achieving more goals”, said Miguel Ángel Loor.