Aston Villa’s Europa League home fixture against Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv next month will take place without away supporters after police raised public safety concerns linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The club confirmed on Friday that the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which oversees matchday safety at Villa Park, had instructed that no visiting fans be permitted for the November 6 fixture. The decision follows advice from West Midlands Police amid concerns over potential protests and public disorder surrounding the match.
“Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the Uefa Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv … following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group,” the club said in a statement.
The SAG, comprising representatives from Birmingham City Council, the police and emergency services, issues safety certificates for all Villa Park fixtures.
“West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night,” the club added.
West Midlands Police said it supported the SAG’s decision after a “thorough assessment” determined the game to be high risk.
A police spokesman said: “We are committed to delivering fair and impartial policing, while balancing the public’s right to protest with our duty to ensure public safety. This decision is 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.”
Last November's match between Dutch side Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv saw supporters of the Israeli team being assaulted in Amsterdam in hit-and-run attacks.
The attacks were the culmination of two days of skirmishes that also saw Maccabi fans chant anti-Arab songs, vandalise a taxi and pull down a Palestinian flag.
Five men were given prison sentences and more than 60 people were detained in the riots, which prompted accusations of deliberate antisemitic attacks.
The force added that it believed restricting away fans would help mitigate “risks to public safety” and reaffirmed its “zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”
The move has drawn criticism from British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Israeli officials.
Sir Keir posted on X: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
The UK's Jewish Leadership Council criticised the decision not to permit Maccabi supporters to attend the Villa game, saying: “It is perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety.
“Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”
Criticism also came from Israel, with foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar saying: “I call on the UK authorities to reverse this coward decision.”
Ayoub Khan, the pro-Gaza Independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, welcomed the decision.
He said: “From the moment that the match was announced, it was clear that there were latent safety risks that even our capable security and police authorities would not be able to fully manage.
“With so much hostility and uncertainty around the match, it was only right to take drastic measures.”
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign had called for the match to be cancelled, saying on X: “Israeli football teams shouldn’t play in international tournaments whilst it commits genocide and apartheid.”
