Frictionless reuse for a better fan experience
Club Brugge is not only the most successful football club in Belgium over the past decade, but also a club that keeps pushing boundaries off the pitch. Known for their data-driven operations and restless ambition, they constantly look for partners who think the same way. At the beginning of 2025, Brugge began searching for an alternative to their flawed reusable cup system. With Borro, they found a partner that made reuse fast, simple, and reliable.
When the final whistle blows at the Jan Breydel stadium, more than 26,000 fans head for the exits. Before working with Borro, that meant long queues at the bars and return points as fans wanted to hand back their cups. All refunds were handled manually, which meant every cup return had to be processed by staff. The process was slow, required extra people, and created room for mistakes and fraud. It was clear that a better system was needed.
The search for simplicity
When it came to reusable cups, Club Brugge didn’t want another short-term fix. They wanted a solution that was smart, reliable, and affordable. From January to May 2025, Brugge tested three smart cup systems, each over several home games. Together with their caterer and payment partners, they compared every detail: reliability, speed, and value for money. By the end of May, their choice was made.
“What made the difference was how smooth Borro works. It’s the most innovative system we tested, with the best balance between technology and value for money.”
Mattijs Buyck, Fan operations director
From chaos to calm
In July 2025, Borro’s system went live across the entire stadium. Within a week and a half, everything was installed and ready for the new season. When a fan orders a drink, a €1.5 deposit is temporarily reserved on their payment card. After the cup is returned, that amount is automatically released within minutes. No staff intervention. No apps. No queues. Just a simple tap at the bar and a quick drop-off at one of the return points. The impact was immediate.
Fraud losses down by an estimated €9889 per year
€4832 saved in yearly refund transaction fees
1/3 fewer staff needed for returns
7,0% higher spend per fan
8,01% increase in average transaction value
Over 45,000 cups are processed every home game, with an average return rate of 93%. These numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they show what happens when the experience becomes seamless. Fans spend less time waiting, buy rounds more easily, and enjoy the match instead of worrying about deposits.
“We saw the return rate climb, queues disappear, and fraud disappear entirely,” says Mattijs. “Our staff got used to it after one match. Fans adapted just as fast. The experience is a lot better now.”
A shared mindset
Club Brugge didn’t just choose Borro for its technology. They saw a partner with the same way of thinking. Both believe that innovation should work quietly in the background, improving the experience without drawing attention to itself.
Borro’s role is to connect the dots: linking payment systems, cups, and return points into one simple flow. For Brugge, that simplicity brings together everything that matters: sustainability, efficiency, and fan experience.
Even as the club awaits its new stadium, the drive to innovate hasn’t slowed. From matchday operations to digital infrastructure, Club Brugge continues to set new standards for how a modern football organisation can run.
“Innovation is part of who we are. Everything that improves the fan experience gets our attention. Borro fits perfectly in that vision: sustainable, efficient, and forward-looking.”
Mattijs Buyck, Fan operations director
A smoother matchday
What used to be a complicated process at the end of each game is now simple and predictable. Fans return their cups in seconds, deposits flow back automatically, and staff can stay focused on serving rather than refunding. It’s a small change that makes a big difference.
When reuse just works, everyone wins.