Although Israel’s national soccer team did not qualify for this year’s World Cup to be held in Brazil, there will be an Israeli presence at the games. An Israeli security firm, Risco Group, will be providing security at the newly built Arena Patanal soccer stadium, in Cuiabá, Brazil.

According to the Israeli website Globes:

The command and control program was not developed with the World Cup in mind, but was modified to support improved performance in Brazil, where operators will be able to control many safety and security features at once. The program that operates the stadium’s central command and control room will make it possible to control other systems as well, such as the PA system, lighting, gates, and access to protected areas defined by the event organizers as “sterile” – such as the VIP and press boxes, broadcast points, and locker rooms.

Risco stated that after the systems are installed on site, the stadium’s operations crew will be able to control 300 areas inside and outside of the stadium at once from the command and control room.

Risco is not well known in Israel, as “95% of its production is for export” primarily to Europe.

A Risco executive, Hemy Fintsy, said that the company now has expanded its ambitions, “Winning the tender to provide systems for one of the soccer stadiums in Brazil for the upcoming World Cup certainly whets our appetite for the Olympic Games, which will take place in two years in Rio.”

In addition, Brazil has purchased an Elbit Hermes 900 drone that will help the Brazilian air force patrol the areas around the games.

[Photo: Cuibá 2014 / WikiCommons ]