Axess makes game day run seamlessly 

Axess serves as a leading international manufacturer for ticketing and access management systems - a trusted process for sports clubs. 

Axess serves as a leading international manufacturer for ticketing and access management systems, putting in place a trusted process for sports clubs. 

The company has already achieved substantial reach and with an office in Australia (Currumbin Queensland)their services are right on our doorstep.  

Headquartered in Austria with production taking place in the city of Innsbruck, Axess currently has 20 offices in 16 different countries. 

Axess are specialists in individual solutions for ticketing and access management, software products to integrate own business areas and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to manage consumer data. 

As Axess are able to cater for customers all around the world, they are also versatile with a variety of industries – their solutions are used by ski resorts, fair & convention centres, stadia & arenas, leisure parks, museums, sightseeing attractions and touristic transport. 

Axess can look at the unique fields and identify how to implement their expertise, with complete resort solutions, customer registration and customer loyalty programs with social media integration – as well as numerous standardised interfaces to third-party systems. 

To meet the needs of organisations, Axess will use the very best innovative hardware and the most modern software modules. This means they can offer a tailored service for every area of application. 

The hardware that Axess offers are suitable for any sporting event at a stadium, with customised areas to ensure a smooth process on game day. 

Venues are supported from start to finish by Axess, who provide systems that includes a layer of security so that it’s easy to know who is entering the stadium. 

As people arrive, Smart Gates can be used to verify exactly who is accessing certain parts of the venue. For example, to access a VIP area, a person would only be allowed in if they have an appropriate pass or accreditation, which would be scanned to give them the green light. A venue could even look at the Smart Security Gate for extra security protection to block ineligible patrons. 

This solution can be used in a similar manner for car parks, as Axess provide entrance and departure gates for those with motorised vehicles. This allows clubs to section off a particular area of their parking and reserve it for players, coaches, match officials and media personnel. 

When it comes to ticketing, Axess can assist clubs with both printing needs and digital implementation. They accommodate for fans at a personalised level, with a range of options available to collect their tickets for an event. For example, Axess offers a Pick Up Box that is accessible for people to collect the tickets they ordered online, meaning they’re not required to line up at tills.  

The Ticket Kiosk and Smart Printers by Axess are quick and easy solution for all parties, as customers can source what they need and therefore reduces crowded areas outside ticket kiosks in peak times, especially within half an hour of a big event starting. The technology on offer by Axess can print tickets in no time, covering a range of formats. 

However, as we know it has become important for patrons at an event to ‘check in’ using a QR code to register that they were there for Covid tracking purposes. Axess provides the option for people to purchase their tickets online and receive a code to enter the stadium. This gives all clubs the chance to implement this very important technology that becomes tracking software to identify anyone with symptoms of Covid-19.  

A QR code is also present on Axess’ Smart Cards, where they are more relevant to regular visitors of a stadium – members of a club. With an integrated chip, the card stores data of an individual for fast entry and is highly durable, so there’s no need to worry about replacing it.  

Whether it be those who like it old-fashioned or now tech-savvy, tickets by Axess come in all forms to create a user-friendly experience. 

The modules and equipment that Axess brings are state-of-the-art to match the ever-growing changes to technology. They are a flexible partner of access management, always looking for ways to be innovative in how their solutions can best fit any organisation. 

For a more detailed look into Axess’ products, as well as their latest news and case studies, you can find them here. 

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Referees to improve consistency with new UEFA guidelines

In a meeting between Chief Refereeing Officers within UEFA and its 55 national associations, enhancing consistency and clarity underpinned the principle goals for the upcoming season.

Improving officiating

Referees – and particularly the usage of VAR – are often at the centre of post-match debates.

As the introduction of new technology into match officiating increases year-on-year, referees are in the spotlight more than ever before. The expectation was that more technology would decrease errors and controversy, but the opposite has proven to be the case.

Which is why the agreement and alignment between European nations marks a key step in the future of match officiating; the meeting between UEFA, its national associations and a representative of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) displays intention and commitment to ensuring future in-game decisions are clear, not controversial.

Meeting chair and UEFA Director for Refereeing, Roberto Rosetti, outlined why the agreement will have a vital impact on the future of European football, both domestically and internationally.

“The fact that all 55 national associations and UEFA have agreed on guidelines towards a more consistent approach to the application of the Laws of the Game marks a significant milestone,” Rosetti said.

“It will help improve the understanding of refereeing decisions among players, clubs and supporters and all stakeholders in the game.”

“For the popularity of football it is essential to remove all doubt from the game and ensure that the laws are applied with clarity.”

 

Limiting technology use

A widespread criticism of match officiating in recent years is the regularity with which VAR intervenes and interrupts match tempo.

The issue, however, is not that VAR can review decisions – in fact, this summer’s FIFA World Cup displayed an effective use of VAR during a case of mistaken identity, in which a player received a yellow card offence for a foul committed by an opposition player. In this regard, VAR was a vital part of ensuring a simulation offence did not go unpunished.

Frustration, however, grows when the use of VAR goes beyond checking “clear and obvious” errors. Lengthy replays, a multitude of angle-checking clips and the disruption of game flow all contribute to feelings of frustration among fans.

But recent amdendments aim to limit this in the upcoming season. VAR is an essential part of fair officiating, but responsibility must lie with the referee.

The new rules introduced by the IFAB are available here, with further initiatives to follow from UEFA in the coming weeks.

Football West runs Indigenous pilot program during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary

Football West ran a pilot program for Indigenous children at the Sam Kerr Football Centre during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary. Former Socceroo David Williams delivered the session.

This year’s national NAIDOC theme, “50 Years of Deadly,” marks five decades since the movement began. It honours the Elders, artists and communities who built it.

“Having these young indigenous kids here at the Sam Kerr Football Centre was great to see,” Williams said. “The feeling they got running around the same pitch the Socceroos and Matildas have trained on was special for them and me.”

A player turned administrator

Williams retired from professional football in November 2025 after a career-ending ACL injury. As a teenager he trained with Club Brugge and Liverpool, and coach Miron Bleiberg once described him as the “best Australian prospect since Harry Kewell.”

He went on to become the first Indigenous player to represent Melbourne City, scored in the UEFA Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt, and won the Indian Super League with ATK.

Since retiring, Williams has moved into administration at Football West. He also sits on the Indigenous Football Australia Council, which oversees the grassroots initiative John Moriarty Football.

A name with its own history

Football Australia named Williams head coach of the Charles Perkins XI last year, the governing body’s national Indigenous youth team. Football Australia renamed the side in 2025 in honour of Dr Charles Perkins AO, following endorsement from the Perkins family and the National Indigenous Advisory Group.

Perkins, an Arrernte and Kalkadoon man, played for Adelaide Croatia and Pan Hellenic in the 1950s. He went on to become the first Aboriginal Australian to graduate from university and a leader of the 1965 Freedom Rides.

Football Australia has described the renamed team as reflecting a commitment to embedding cultural identity and leadership within its high-performance pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

What happens next

“After living out my dream as a professional player, to now being able to offer experiences like this and hopefully inspire the next generation of young Indigenous footballers is very rewarding,” Williams said. “There is also a lot of talent that we can tap into.”

He said running the session during NAIDOC Week let Football West mark two things at once. “Creating a fun session for these kids during NAIDOC Week meant we could celebrate culture and sport in one go,” he said.

Williams wants the session to become a regular fixture rather than a single event. “Going forward, I would love to put on more of these programs throughout the year and get more indigenous youngsters playing football,” he said.

Football West has not yet confirmed funding or a schedule for further sessions.

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