When 1,956 matches are played at 124 venues across the Gothenburg area, high demands are placed on the organization behind the world’s largest youth tournament. For Gothia Cup, the focus on safety is about being prepared, visible, and present—long before a situation arises. That is why safety stewards are present at all venues during the tournament, tasked with contributing to a positive match climate and providing support for referees, coaches, players, and the audience.

– At every venue, we have safety stewards. They are individuals in orange vests with the textService & Safetyon their backs. They are there to create a safe match climate around our venues and provide support to everyone present, says Martin Laanemets, competition manager at Gothia Cup.

Close Dialogue
The safety stewards are an important part of the tournament's safety organization. They maintain close contact with the referees and help create the conditions for the referees to focus fully on their task—to officiate the matches. At the same time, they serve as a link between the venues and the competition management. If a match attracts an unusually large crowd or if situations arise where extra resources are needed, the safety stewards can quickly report and ensure that the right support is provided.

– Above all, they create a sense of safety by being visible. There is always someone to turn to here, whether it's a question, finding the right direction, or if something needs to be addressed during a match, says Martin Laanemets.

Working Before It Happens
The role of the safety stewards primarily focuses on prevention. By being present at the venues, meeting visitors, and maintaining ongoing dialogue with referees and officials, many situations can be resolved before they escalate. They observe how matches function, how the audience and coaches behave, and report back to the competition management if necessary.

– Their primary task is to be accessible to referees, the audience, and coaches while contributing to the most positive match climate we can create on our fields, says Martin Laanemets.

Several of the safety stewards have extensive experience in football. Alexander Linnér, who works both as a match delegate and a safety steward, describes the preventive work as the most important aspect of their role.

– We focus heavily on prevention to ensure everything flows as smoothly as possible. We observe how the audience, players, and coaches behave and provide feedback to the competition management after the matches. The goal is to create the best conditions for everyone present, he says.

Coordinated with Authorities
Gothia Cup's safety work encompasses much more than the individuals seen at the venues. The tournament has a central safety organization and works closely with the police, fire service, medical services, and municipal authorities. In larger playing areas, such as Heden, security towers are also utilized to provide better oversight and support for security personnel and officials as needed.

The tournament's regulations are also clear. All teams are responsible for ensuring that players, coaches, and supporters behave respectfully and follow Gothia Cup's Fair Play principles. Aggressive or inappropriate behavior from the audience or teams can lead to disciplinary actions, and in serious cases, exclusion from the tournament.

Safety for the Future
Safety stewards were introduced a few years ago and have become a permanent part of Gothia Cup's safety and Fair Play initiatives.

– We will continue to work with safety stewards for a long time to come. We believe this is one of the keys to creating the positive match climate we wish to see on all our fields, says Martin Laanemets.

For more information about safety and security protocols, click here:https://support.gothiacup.se/article/175-how-is-gothia-cup-working-with-the-security