If Ajax becomes champion on Wednesday, and that chance is quite high, there will be no celebration in the city. The reason for this is that safety cannot be guaranteed; there are too few security guards available to manage the party in the right direction. However, after a possible victory over Heerenveen, there may be honored in the Johan Cruijff Arena on Wednesday evening AT5†
The championship match is unique, a full stadium in our own house, and a match that really has to be won. In 2021 Ajax became champion in an empty stadium, in 2020 there was no championship game at all because of corona. The last celebration was in 2019, Ajax became champion for the first time in five years, won the cup and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. About 100,000 partying supporters came to the Museumplein that year.
Not enough security guards
The municipality of Amsterdam announced yesterday that it cannot hire enough security guards to allow a ceremony to take place in the city. In March, the municipality already tried to find enough security guards. The expected number of visitors is between 80,000 and 100,000, which requires a minimum of 320 security guards.
Twelve different companies were approached, but the desired number of security officers was not achieved. It was also examined whether service employees, catering or retail security guards, security guards in training or football stewards could work during a possible ceremony, but that would have been ‘not feasible’.
Safe and responsible
“Ultimately, the triangle and Ajax had to conclude that the Museumplein was not an option for a celebration,” says the municipality. “Visitors, including families with children, must be able to rely on the fact that a ceremony meets all requirements and is organized safely and responsibly.”