In mid-February, the second and final training week of the annual security training program for newly appointed security officers in Swedish elite football was completed. The training is organized by Swedish Professional Football Leagues and the Swedish Football Association and took place at Bosön Sports Center, with around 15 participants attending.
The participants, representing 10 of the country’s 32 elite clubs, underwent a comprehensive program over the two weeks. The training covered everything from organizing safe and secure events to crisis and media management. As in previous years, the course was divided into two stages, with one training week in January and another in February.
“This is the seventeenth year that the training has been conducted, and the content evolves with each passing year. Football is unique in that we are the only sport in Sweden with such a comprehensive security training program, and the setup is unique even in a European context,” says Per Eliasson, Head of Security at Swedish Professional Football Leagues and responsible for this year’s training.
The training is a key part of Swedish Professional Football League’s efforts to provide clubs with the right tools to manage security. Upon completion, participants are expected to be fully prepared to handle and prevent various situations that may arise during elite football events.
In addition to Svensk Elitfotboll, the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) also plays a central role in the security training for elite clubs. The Swedish Police Authority is also involved, helping to make the exercises and role-playing scenarios as realistic as possible.
