A team of Council of Europe experts carried out a monitoring visit to Hungary, from 10 to 11 October 2025, to support in the preparations for UEFA 2026 Champions League final and assess its overall approach on the organisation of football matches and other sports events. The aim of the visit was to support the Hungarian authorities in the effective implementation of the safety, security and service standards of the Saint-Denis Convention, to which Hungary became a Party since 8 July 2025.
The team included participants from Greece (Vice-Chair of the Saint-Denis Committee), from Bulgaria and the United Kingdom (rapporteur, safety expert and UEFA EURO 2028 observers), as well as observers from UEFA and Football Supporters Europe (FSE).
The monitoring team was welcomed by the Hungarian State Secretariat for Sports, and had the opportunity to meet several relevant stakeholders, including from the Ministry of Interior, the Budapest Police, the Hungarian Football Association and a private security company. The delegation also followed the match day preparations and attended the FIFA 26 qualifier match between the national teams of Hungary and Armenia, on 11 October (Puskás stadium - Budapest).
The visit was carried out in accordance with the Monitoring Guidelines of the Saint-Denis Convention. The findings, recommendations and best practices identified will be included in the monitoring report to be adopted by the Saint-Denis Committee and transmitted to the Hungarian authorities for the implementation of its tailored recommendations.
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