The stadium also showcases hooligan-addled FIFA's efforts when it comes to safety and security. Take the automated access system, which can admit those 69,000 fans in an hour and a half, funnel supporters of opposing teams to separate sections, track occupancy of those sections in real time, block tickets in the event of theft or loss, and regulate turnstiles to ensure orderly exits.
For the designer of that access system, SkiData of Salzburg, Austria, the World Cup is no less of a showcase event. The company, which is owned by Geneva-listed Kudelski, a Swiss technology group, hopes the tournament's exposure will entice more customers, notably North American ones, to upgrade to its ticketing gear.