14 Days of High Alert in Zurich
Rain at the start, a heat wave in the middle of the tournament, sold-out games, and a Swiss national team that fought its way to the final: The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Zurich offered everything that defines a major international event. For the fans, these were emotional weeks filled with excitement and hope. Behind the scenes, however, the tournament meant one thing above all else: precision work.
With around 270 staff members per day, we were on duty for 14 days in and around the Swiss Life Arena and the fan zone. A total of 25,534 hours were worked to ensure a safe and smooth experience for thousands of visitors.
At the center of this complex task was Ralph Biedermann, Head of Security at the Zurich location. All security-related information and decisions converged with him.
When Security Becomes a Major Project
While athletes were competing for medals on the ice, Ralph and his team coordinated all security measures related to the event’s operations.
“My area of responsibility ranged from strategic planning and operational implementation to ongoing situation assessment during the event,” he explains.
His duties included overseeing the entire security operation, monitoring the inner and outer perimeters, crowd management, coordinating fan zones, and managing teams, media, and VIP areas. This was supported by modern technical systems such as video surveillance, access controls, and people-counting systems.
The biggest challenge: intelligently directing crowds
One of the most demanding tasks was managing visitor flow within the Swiss Life Arena. For the World Cup, the arena was divided into nine security zones. One central rule applied: the paths of different user groups were not allowed to cross.
Players, media representatives, VIP guests, staff, and spectators had to be guided safely and separately at all times.
“Implementing this concept required not only a large number of security personnel but also, in some cases, long and complex routes,” Ralph recalls.
Weather as an Additional Factor
In addition to the flow of visitors, the weather also played an important role. A rainy start to the tournament was followed by several very warm days, which posed additional challenges for the fan zone.
Visitor numbers had to be monitored continuously, and capacity had to be actively managed. Modern overhead counting systems provided a real-time overview of current occupancy at all times.
“Weather conditions are often underestimated at major events. Extreme heat, thunderstorms, or storms directly affect visitor behavior and have a major impact on crowd management,” says Ralph.
Switzerland Plays Its Way into a Frenzy
With every victory by the Swiss national team, enthusiasm grew throughout the country. The fan zone filled up, and the atmosphere in and around the arena became increasingly electric.
For the security organization, this meant constantly adjusting their operational plans.
“The more successfully Switzerland played, the larger the crowds became and the more dynamic the atmosphere around the games grew. Such developments must be constantly monitored and assessed.”
Thanks to close collaboration with the Swiss Life Arena, the Zurich City Police, Schutz & Rettung Zürich, and the event organizers, even the busiest days of the tournament were handled safely and professionally.
Security Is a Team Effort
Despite modern technology and detailed planning, one factor remains crucial for Ralph: the team.
During the World Cup, approximately 270 staff members per day ensured that security plans were implemented, visitor flows were managed, and access points were controlled.
“An event of this magnitude can only succeed if everyone involved does their part and can rely on one another. The teamwork throughout the entire World Cup was outstanding.”
Where Safety Makes Unforgettable Moments Possible
Even though the big dream of a world championship title ultimately went unfulfilled by a narrow margin and Switzerland took home the silver, this home World Championship will remain in the memories of many people for a long time to come.
For us, this event was further proof of just how crucial professional security management is at major international events. Only when security, organization, and collaboration function smoothly behind the scenes can emotions, enthusiasm, and peak athletic performance take center stage.
The World Cup has also demonstrated once again that crowd management is now one of the core disciplines of modern event planning. Crowd flows do not arise spontaneously during an event; rather, they must be taken into account early on in the conceptualization and planning phases and actively managed. This is precisely what constitutes a key factor in the success of safe and successful large-scale events.
