Golazo hosts the Hockey World Cup: a world-class production, right down to the bar

The challenge: every match is an away game

For the bar, every match was a home game. For the visitor, it was always an away game. Someone coming from the United States or South Africa doesn't carry a Bancontact card. And they have no desire to queue at a register to buy tokens or credit first.

Golazo set the bar high. Every sale and every refund had to go flawlessly, for every visitor. This raised three questions:

• How do you let everyone pay with what they have on them, including cash?
• How does a visitor get their cup deposit back, even if they are flying out of the country tomorrow?
• How do you manage two weeks of varying public and VIP events, with catering partners and operational teams who each want to see their own data?

Solution

The approach: making the right choices together in advance

Together with Golazo, we mapped out the payment scenario before the tournament: which payment methods at the bar, how cash is handled, which refund flow is primary, and who sees what in the platform. This ensured everything was ready for the first ball.

Hybrid payment: every card works at the bar

At each of the 90+ all-in-one terminals, visitors paid directly with their own payment method. An American credit card, a South African Visa, or an Amex. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Revolut also worked on every device. The same device also accepts the cashless card for those who topped up with cash or received credit as a crew member. One ecosystem, one overview.

Cash without a register: the cash machine

Those who still wanted to pay with cash topped up their cashless card themselves at the cash machine. Insert a bill, get the balance on the card, and check the balance immediately via the touchscreen. For the organizer, this means: no cash at the bar, no registers to staff, and no money to count.

The deposit back, in three ways

With every purchase, the deposit for the cup was charged immediately. When leaving the grounds, the visitor returned their cup. They received their money back in one of these three ways:

• QR Refund: the standard flow, ideal for European visitors. No extra transaction costs for the visitor or organizer, and with a fraud check before the payout.
• Return pin: the backup for international visitors. The deposit goes straight back to their bank or credit card. Money back, experience complete.
• Remaining balance on the cashless card: can be requested via the QR code on the card and paid out in the same refund period as the QR Refund.

One platform, many parties, each with their own view

A World Cup is actually many events in one: public matches, VIP moments, partners, and teams. That’s why we worked in a multi-tenant environment with tailored permissions.

• Scenarios: with price lists, device management, and monitoring, Golazo quickly switched between public and VIP events without having to move any hardware.
• Users: every employee was granted permissions based on their role (configuration, monitoring, analysis, or support). This allows everyone to do their job without seeing sensitive data they don't need.
• Partners: catering partners were given their own dashboard with the same real-time information regarding their part of the tournament.

Result

The result: keeping a finger on the pulse for two weeks straight

Golazo tracked every bar, every device, and every segment in real time, receiving a comprehensive report per segment afterward. Visitors paid with whatever they had on them and received their deposit back, no matter where they traveled. And partners could monitor their own figures without anyone needing to email Excel files back and forth.

What you can take away for your event

• Are you hosting an international audience? Choose hybrid. Open loop for the convenience of their own cards, closed loop for cash and credits.
• Determine your primary refund flow in advance and provide a backup that suits your audience.
• Give every party their own view of the figures. No more, no less.

FAQ

What are hybrid payments at an event?

Hybrid payment combines open loop (bank card, credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay) with closed loop (cashless cards and QR vouchers) on the same device. This allows you to process payments using personal cards, cash via cashless cards, crew credits, and partner credits within a single ecosystem.

How do you let visitors pay with cash at a cashless event?

With a cash machine. Visitors load their cashless card themselves using banknotes and check their balance on the touchscreen. The money is kept securely in the machine's safe. You don't have cash at the bar and no registers to staff.

How do international visitors get their cup deposit back?

You choose a primary refund flow in advance, usually QR Refund, and provide alternatives such as a direct card refund, where the deposit goes straight back to the bank or credit card. You can determine which flow is active per device, depending on the location and the operator. This way, the majority of transactions go through QR Refund, and support handles the rest.