Maccabi Tel Aviv will decline any ticket allocation for their Europa League tie against Aston Villa after supporters were banned from attending due to safety concerns.
The Athletic revealed on Thursday that West Midlands Police (WMP) had requested supporters of the Israeli football club be prevented from buying tickets to November’s match at Villa Park. Villa later confirmed this would be the case, citing “a number of physical and safety factors”.
The decision attracted criticism and calls to reverse it from across the political spectrum, including from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Maccabi, commenting on the matter for the first time on Monday, released a 498-word statement, claiming “hate-filled falsehoods” had been created about their fanbase and contributed to a “toxic atmosphere” that put the safety of those wishing to attend the fixture “very much in doubt”.
The UK government said it was “deeply saddened” by Maccabi’s decision but added it “respected their right” to turn down an allocation.
“Inflammatory rhetoric, trafficking in half-truths is never healthy, but in this particular case the remarks being generated are of the most concerning variety,” the Maccabi statement read. “Not for Maccabi Tel Aviv or football, but for the sake of society and its underlying values, maybe the agendas involved here should be looked at more closely.
”The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount and from hard lessons learned, we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context.“
The Israel-Hamas conflict has led to concerns that the match could prove to be a potential flashpoint, with the possibility of the potential for protests from pro-Palestinian supporters and counter-protests. According to a 2021 census, around 30 per cent of Birmingham’s population is Muslim, with the visit of an Israeli team regarded as a high-risk safety concern given the city has seen a number of pro-Palestinian protests since the war began in October 2023.
WMP said it “based” its initial decision “on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam”.
In November 2024, Dutch police made more than 60 arrests after Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were attacked following their Europa League game against Ajax. The evening before the match, police said Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire.
“Our fans regularly travel all over Europe without incident and to suggest that the reason our fans cannot be allowed to travel is due to their behaviour is an attempt to distort reality and to excuse the real underlying reasons for the decision to ban our fans,“ the statement continued. ”Our fans, the Jewish community know all too well this tactic and all are too familiar with where it can lead.”
On Sunday, the derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off ahead of kick-off by Israeli police, who cited “public disorder and violent riots” and said three officers were injured in the clashes.
Maccabi claimed it had a “strong track record in seeking to bring people together strong” and accused “entrenched groups” of “seeking to malign the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan base”.
“(Certain people) are exploiting isolated incidents for their own social and political ends,” the statement added.
A UK government spokesperson said: “The government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle – that football fans should be able to enjoy a game without fear of intimidation or violence.
“We are deeply saddened Maccabi Tel Aviv have turned down their away fan allocation but we respect their right to do so.
“It is completely unacceptable that this game has been weaponised to stoke violence and fear by those who seek to divide us. We will never tolerate antisemitism or extremism on our streets. We will continue to work closely with the police to ensure that this game goes ahead safely, and that Jewish communities across this country get the safety and security they deserve.”
On Friday, the police and crime commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands, Simon Foster, ordered “an immediate review” of that decision. Several people briefed on the situation, kept anonymous as they did not have permission to speak publicly, told The Athletic on Friday they believed the decision would be reversed.
Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, met officials from the Home Office — the UK’s interior ministry which is responsible for policing and public safety, among other things — for talks on Friday. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, she described the decision as “wrong”.
