A diplomatic row is escalating over the decision to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the club’s Europa League match against Aston Villa next month.
West Midlands Police have declared Villa’s game against the Israeli Premier League side a “high-risk” fixture amid fears of violence, as recommended by the local safety advisory group which issues certificates for matches at Villa Park.
The ban has prompted a backlash from some senior political figures, including the Prime Minister, but has been welcomed by pro-Palestine campaigners.
Police said it was based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Uefa Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam”.
Here’s everything you should know about how the decision was reached.
What happened in Amsterdam?
In November 2024, rioting broke out before and after Maccabi’s game against Ajax in Amsterdam.
Footage later showed Maccabi fans chanting “death to Arabs” and pulling down Palestine flags, but a number of Israeli fans were also attacked. There were a total of 62 arrests, 10 of whom were Maccabi fans.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof referred to the rioting as an “anti-Semitic attack” and Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema initially described the incident as an anti-Semitic “pogrom” – but later rowed back on her use of that term and condemned violence against “all minority groups”.
Why the game has been in doubt
There have been campaigns for this match not to take place at all. Groups like “Show Israel the Red Card” have been campaigning for football’s governing bodies Uefa and Fifa to ban Israeli clubs from its competitions, calls which have been heightened since the UN recognised Israel’s war on Gaza as a genocide.
How Israelis have reacted
David Mencer, an Israeli government spokesperson, told LBC said it was “an extremely sad state of affairs for Britain … that Jews and Israelis would feel in some way unsafe or unable to go to a football match… on the streets of the UK.”
The Jewish Leadership Council called the move “perverse” and said the match should be played behind closed doors instead.
Emily Damari, a released British-Israeli hostage who was taken captive by Hamas during the 7 October attacks, also described the ban as “outrageous” and said she was “shocked to the core”.
Reaction from Palestinian campaigners
Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, the constituency in which Villa Park lies, had led a petition for the game to be cancelled, relocated or held behind closed doors. He has welcomed the decision to exclude Maccabi fans.
Jeremy Corbyn was among the MPs who backed the petition. Mothin Ali, co-deputy leader of the Green Party, called for “a sporting and cultural boycott of all Israeli teams”.
Pro-Palestine campaigners have also pettioned for Israel’s national team to be banned from international competition – they will not be at the next World Cup because they have failed to qualify.
What happened at recent Maccabi games
When Maccabi played PAOK in the Europa League last month, Greek fans unveiled a banner reading “Stop genocide” and waved Palestinian flags throughout the match. Israel’s national teams played their recent World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy amid heightened security.
What is Aston Villa’s role?
The decision has not been taken by Aston Villa themselves – and without the correct safety certificate they would not be permitted to sell away tickets.
What is happening in Birmingham
Birmingham has been at the centre of an ongoing dispute involving the city council, whose funding cuts led to the bin strikes earlier this year, industrial action overseen by Unite the Union.
Part of the concern around policing the match relates to whether the authorities have sufficient funding, resources and numbers to ensure the game can go ahead safely and crowds can be managed, particularly if protests or riots break out.
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What the UK Government wants to happen now
Sir Keir Starmer has criticised West Midlands Police, calling it the “wrong decision”.
“We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets,” the Prime Minister wrote on X. “The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.” Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, described the decision as a “national disgrace”.
Senior cabinet ministers are meeting on Friday to see if they can “find a way through” and reverse a ban. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy are among those ministers who want the decision revisited.
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