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02/08/2005 Archived Entry: "World Cup RFID"
Apparently upset that the U.S. has taken the lead in the Total Surveillance Olympics, the Germans have decided to go Big Brother, big time, for the 2006 World Cup.To apply for a ticket you have to give your name, address, nationality, which team you want to support and your bank details. You must also supply your ID or passport number and your birth date.
Assuming you are successful, you receive a fully personalized ticket containing an RFID chip; this enables authorities to check the ticket against your passport. Very little information resides on the chip: the identity check is conducted against a database at the German Football Association (DFB).
Ostensibly this is because of the "delicate security concerns" (read: terrorist bugaboos) of the event. I'd guess it's more likely intended to kill any aftermarket for ticket resale. Either way, that's not the kind of information I'd want the DFB to have in their computers-of-doubtful-security. —brad