News: New Developments After Catering Problems at Stuttgart Game
Why It Happened — New Insights
Staffing and Safety Clearance Issues
Authorities and media reporting indicate two main background factors that likely caused the poor catering provision:
1. Security Clearance Requirements
The game was classified as a high-risk match with enhanced security checks due to the geopolitical context and fan situation.
For safety, catering staff had to be cleared and submitted on lists for police and security vetting. Those without timely clearance couldn’t work, meaning many scheduled workers couldn’t staff stands.
2. Subcontractor Scrutiny by Zoll (German Customs Authority)
The Zoll (customs) conducted checks on staffing lists not only for security but also on employment conditions (e.g., minimum wage, work permits).
Officials are now scrutinizing subcontractors used by the main caterer to see whether some may have violated labor rules or improperly staffed employees.
Customs has not confirmed social-media claims that hundreds of staff fled upon seeing controls — but it says a small number of employment-related issues were identified.
🗣️ Statements from Involved Parties
Caterer (Aramark)
The stadium caterer acknowledged that the match’s special security conditions affected staffing and that it’s reviewing how operations were handled, but has not assigned blame publicly yet.
⚖️ VfB Stuttgart
The club emphasized that, despite the adverse logistics, the match itself went smoothly and the game result was a positive sporting outcome. It also stated that the overall event was controlled and secure, even if the catering offer was “unsatisfactory”.
🛂 Police and Zoll
Officials say the security and customs checks were essential and not intended to disrupt service. Zoll asserts that it did not cause such a massive collapse of catering operations as some rumors suggest.
📊 Broader Context from the Match
Beyond catering issues, the game itself drew significant interest:
Stuttgart won 4–1 against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League.
The encounter was treated as a high-security match, resulting in unusually strict entry controls, early arrival recommendations, and overall enhanced safety planning.
Separately, UEFA fined Maccabi Tel Aviv about €20,000 for racist/discriminatory fan behavior, and imposed a suspended away-fan ban based on offensive chants recorded during the match — highlighting tensions surrounding the fixture.
