Lack of Legacy? Shadows of Surveillance after the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany

Abstract

The FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany saw the largest display of domestic security since 1945. More than 250 000 police officers from the state and federal police, 7000 military guards, 20 000 private security contractors and an unknown number of intelligence service officers operated in the 12 host cities during the four-week event. In addition, more than 20 000 volunteers took part in security and safety measures, constituting what have become known as ‘pop-up armies’. Surveillance technologies were deployed, including but not limited to airborne warning and control system planes (AWACS), a variety of security robots, video surveillance cameras and radio frequency identification chips (RFID). Data banks stored more than 250 000 personal data files of FIFA employees and another 10 million of those persons applying for tickets. The paper first describes how, since the early 20th century, FIFA has been embracing neo-liberalism as a ‘neo-communitarian entrepreneur’. Secondly, it analyses how FIFA enabled itself to set the preconditions for candidate and host cities to carry out the event. Thirdly, it develops the concept of ‘legacy’ in order to allow for an understanding of the World Cup’s positive and negative impacts for all stakeholders involved. Fourthly, it examines the 2006 World Cup in Germany as a sports-related ‘security assemblage’, deciphering why parts of the assemblage were dismantled whereas others remained after the World Cup was over. Finally, it draws some conclusions about the role of FIFA as an incubator for a ‘sustained securitisation’ of host and post-host cities.