The operator’s slices simulataneously supported broadcast, medical teams and e-payments in and around the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels in a first for Belgium
On Saturday, the Belgian men’s national football team, known as the Red Devils, played a final international friendly, against Tunisia, before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in the US. The Belgians won 5-0.
During the match, Proximus ran three 5G network slices at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels (pictured) to support on-site medical assistance, media coverage of the match and electronic payments. This is the first time that multiple slices ran simultaneously at a live event with tens of thousands of attendees in Belgium.
The UZ Brussels medical team on site was in constant contact with the medical staff at the hospital. The slice was secure and uninterrupted despite heavy network traffic in and around the stadium.
The slice dedicated to media coverage was in collaboration with DPG Media, which broadcast the match, and was a backup connection for the live broadcast.
A third slice supported mobile payments in an environment where hundreds of transactions take place simultaneously.
Renaud Tilmans, Chief Enterprise Officer at Proximus, said, “When the Red Devils play, everything has to run smoothly, both on and off the pitch. With this first, we are demonstrating…how our 5G network can support and guarantee multiple critical applications, from medical assistance and live broadcasting to payments, all simultaneously and within a packed King Baudouin Stadium.
“As a proud partner of the Royal Belgian Football Association and sponsor of the Red Devils, we are strengthening Belgian football by providing technology and innovation that make a real difference for fans, players, and the organisation alike.”
The men’s FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament will run from Thursday, June 11 to Sunday to July 19, with matches played in various locations in Canada, Mexico and the US.
