EFL connects club safety teams through shared intelligence network

The EFL is working with event operations software provider Aposto to introduce a league-wide matchday intelligence network, aiming to improve how clubs record incidents and share safety information.CrowdVista will launch from early 2027, providing authorised safety personnel with a consistent way to monitor and review operational data across the league’s 72 clubs.EFL head of security and safety operations Bob Eastwood said: “Safe and successful matchdays rely on good information sharing and effective collaboration.“Through our partnership with Aposto, clubs will be better equipped to manage intelligence, identify emerging risks and make more informed operational decisions. We’re pleased to be working together to support a more connected approach to safety and security across the League.”The initiative addresses differences in the formats and data used by stadium safety teams, which can leave useful information within individual venues rather than available to other clubs.A shared reporting structure is intended to make incidents easier to assess collectively, helping safety personnel identify patterns that might be less apparent when reviewing their own matchdays alone.Aposto chief executive Cathy Long said: “We built CrowdVista because we could see a clear need for clubs to be able to share information and easily access insight and analysis on safety issues.“Now fans of all 72 EFL club should be safer as a result and that’s what matters to us.”The EFL expects the network to provide insights from incidents across its competitions, allowing clubs to draw on other venues’ experiences when preparing for fixtures.The information will also support decisions on resource allocation, connecting safety reporting with the practical deployment of matchday personnel and other operational provision.A consistent format for recording and managing information is another objective, alongside the ability to review trends across incidents and wider operational activity.That approach places the emphasis on improving the evidence available to safety teams, with the network supporting their decisions rather than replacing responsibility at individual clubs.The intended benefits extend beyond responding to incidents after they happen, with shared analysis designed to help clubs anticipate emerging issues and adjust preparations.For the league, the project also creates a more connected reporting framework through which information can move between clubs and the central organisation.The announcement describes access as being for authorised safety personnel, although it does not detail the categories of information that will be shared or the individual implementation arrangements at each venue.Aposto’s wider software offering brings briefing, scheduling, monitoring and support for event staff into a single app used by sports clubs, venues and organisers.The company will work with the EFL and member clubs on preparations for the rollout ahead of the network’s early-2027 launch.