Live facial recognition to be used at Everton game

Live facial recognition (LFR) technology will be used by police in Liverpool later when Everton host Manchester United.

It will be used on approaches to Hill Dickinson Stadium alongside visible patrols and plain-clothes officers ahead of the Premier League match, Merseyside Police said.

The force said it hoped to identify people who were wanted for serious offences or court orders and it was designed to keep fans and the public safe.

But civil liberties campaign group, Big Brother Watch, said stricter controls over its use were needed.

LFR works by comparing faces captured on a live camera feed against a secure watchlist of people wanted for serious offences, subject to court orders, or who pose a risk to the public or to themselves, the force said.

Merseyside Police began using the technology in December 2025.

If the system identifies a possible match, a police officer will compare the image on screen with the person in view and decide whether to speak to them.

Ch Insp Chris Barnes said LFR helped "to locate high harm offenders swiftly and effectively".

"These high tech tools allow us to prevent crime and protect the public, ensuring that law abiding supporters aren't disrupted and can simply focus on enjoying the game," he added.

Any fans who are not on a watch list, would not have their biometric data stored, Merseyside Police said, and once they passed through the LFR zone of recognition it would be immediately and automatically deleted.

Watchlist images are deleted within 24 hours of each deployment, the force added.

But Matthew Feeney, from Big Brother Watch, said the force should be able to police the event safely "without infringing on the rights of everyone who wants to attend".

"Police should not be using the technology until, at the very bare minimum, we have some kind of legal framework that governs, who can be on the watch list, how it is used, what kind of places and occasions that can be used in," he said.

Everton's head of security, Dave Lewis, said his team worked with Merseyside Police to make sure "proportionate and intelligence-led measures" were in place for high profile matches.

"Our priority for every fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium is to provide a safe, secure and welcoming environment for supporters, staff and the local community," he added.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.