Matchday operations are the heartbeat of any football club. When thousands of supporters descend upon a stadium, the technology governing their entry must be invisible, instant, and infallible. For six years, TicketCo and SkiData have cultivated a partnership designed to ensure exactly that.
This collaboration is not merely about connecting two software systems, it is about creating a robust ecosystem that handles high-pressure European matches with ease. Through a deep integration that has been refined over half a decade, we provide clubs with a solution that is both UEFA-compliant and ready for the future of NFC ticketing.
Here is how our relationship with SkiData is setting a new standard for seamless stadium access across Europe.
Trust is built over time, and in the world of stadium technology, longevity equates to reliability. TicketCo and SkiData have been working in tandem for six years, continuously updating and refining the integration to meet the evolving needs of modern football clubs.
Jörgen Styffe, from SkiData Scandinavia, highlights that this is a relationship built on constant improvement. “We have updated it during the years to make it work even better and more seamlessly,” he says.
This stability has made the solution a staple in Norwegian football. Currently, the integration powers access control for top-tier clubs including Molde, Rosenborg, Brann, Fredrikstad, Viking, Bodø/Glimt, and Tromsø. Whether it is a standard league match or a high-stakes European fixture, the system is battle-tested.
Crucially, this integration is built to scale. While it has found immense success in Norway, the architecture is designed for the entire continent. The APIs and integration logic are standardised, meaning the seamless experience enjoyed by clubs in Scandinavia can be replicated identically in Germany, Sweden, the UK, or anywhere else TicketCo and SkiData operate.
Learn more about how TicketCo helps clubs streamline matchday operations → Explore Matchday optimisation
A common pain point in stadium access integrations is the one-way flow of data. Often, a ticketing provider sends data to the access control system, but the communication stops there. The TicketCo and SkiData integration functions differently. It creates a "closed loop."
When a ticket is sold in TicketCo, it is immediately transferred to SkiData’s system, stored locally on-site. However, the conversation does not end when the fan enters the stadium.
“When the ticket is used, the data is transferred back to TicketCo,” explains Styffe. “We have data flowing back and forth.”
This two-way communication is vital for ticketing managers. It allows for real-time reporting within the TicketCo platform, enabling staff to search for specific ticket scans and monitor attendance flow live. It ensures that the data in the access control system matches the data in the ticketing platform at all times, eliminating discrepancies that can cause headaches for finance and operations teams.
Perhaps the most significant operational benefit of this partnership is the direct line of communication between the two technology providers. In many vendor relationships, the football club is forced to act as a messenger, relaying technical questions between their ticketing provider and their access control partner. This creates bottlenecks and adds unnecessary stress to club staff.
TicketCo and SkiData have removed this burden.
“We can solve things between us instead of adding additional work to the club,” says Kristianna Moberg of TicketCo. “We communicate directly.”
This collaborative approach is most evident during the onboarding of new clubs. When Viking FK adopted the system, TicketCo and SkiData managed the technical "plug and play" implementation together. Both teams were on-site before matchday to test every ticket configuration and remained present during the game to support staff.
“It’s a very good way of collaborating,” agrees Styffe. “Instead of the club reaching out to both parties, they can talk to one, and we reach out to each other to solve it.”
For clubs with European ambitions, compliance is non-negotiable. Hosting UEFA and FIFA matches requires strict adherence to safety and data reporting standards. The TicketCo-SkiData integration is engineered specifically to meet these rigorous demands.
Security is a top priority for UEFA. A critical requirement is that entry systems must function even if the stadium’s network fails. Because the integration pushes ticket data to be stored locally on SkiData’s on-site servers, the turnstiles remain fully operational during internet outages.
“If the network goes down before a game, all the tickets that have been sent over should work at the gates,” Styffe notes. “You can’t have attendees standing outside the turnstiles because of network trouble.”
Furthermore, UEFA requires precise, real-time data regarding attendance flow. Officials need to know exactly how many supporters are inside the venue at any given moment to manage crowd safety effectively. The integration’s live data capabilities ensure that clubs can instantly provide these figures to match delegates, ensuring full compliance with European regulations.
As football moves away from paper tickets and QR codes towards contactless solutions, Near Field Communication (NFC) is becoming the gold standard for secure, rapid entry.
SkiData is already at the forefront of this technology in the Premier League, with clubs like Leeds United, Manchester United, and Sunderland utilising SkiData’s NFC capabilities frequently.
The integration between TicketCo and SkiData is built to support this shift. “The SkiData system is compliant with NFC. It is ready for it as it stands today,” confirms Styffe.
This means that clubs partnering with TicketCo and SkiData are future-proofing their operations. As NFC becomes mandatory or simply the preferred method for combating black market ticket sales and improving entry speed, the infrastructure is already in place to support it.
The synergy between TicketCo and SkiData represents more than just a technical integration, it represents a shared philosophy of reliability and innovation. By removing operational friction, ensuring strict UEFA compliance, and preparing for an NFC-enabled future, we allow clubs to focus on what matters most: the match itself.
Whether you are a club in Scandinavia or a team in the UK or elsewhere in Europe looking for a robust, European-proven solution, the TicketCo and SkiData alliance stands ready to deliver.
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