Israeli soccer team fans excluded from next big match in UK over ‘security’ concerns
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Fans of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv are banned from attending a Europa League match in Birmingham, England, on November 6.
The team’s English opponent, Aston Villa, which will host the match, made the announcement Thursday, citing security concerns. Last year, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were attacked in Amsterdam during a match against Ajax.
“The club is in ongoing dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of fans attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision,” Aston Villa said in a statement.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv FC fans were reportedly subjected to violence in Amsterdam before and during the soccer team’s match against Ajax last year. More than a dozen people have already been charged in connection with the violence, and several have already been convicted following a series of violent incidents overnight.
Pro-Palestine protesters have been a regular feature among Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in 2025.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans stage a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square, lighting flares and chanting slogans before the UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 7, 2024. (Mouneb Taim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s upcoming match against Aston Villa will be the team’s first away match in the Europa League since pro-Palestinian protests took place at the stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece, against PAOK on September 24. Around 120 fans of the Israeli club traveled to Greece for that match and were held behind a police cordon before entering the venue.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv fans hold flags on Dam Square before the Europa League soccer match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024. (Jeroen Jumelet/ANP/News via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, European soccer body UEFA had been weighing a vote to suspend Israeli teams from its competitions before that was overtaken this month by the ceasefire in Gaza.
The London-based Jewish Leadership Council called Thursday’s decision unfair.
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Sagiv Yehezkal of Maccabi Tel Aviv during warm-up before the match. (Reuters/Yves Herman)
“It is perverse that away fans are banned from a football match because West Midlands Police cannot guarantee their safety. Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors,” the organization said in a statement.
The News contributed to this report.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures such as Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.