UEFA Statement on Police Request Ahead of Aston Villa vs Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv

Aston Villa will host Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League in November. Ahead of the match in Birmingham, however, local police have requested that supporters of the Israeli club not be allowed to attend.

The position of the West Midlands Police (WMP) comes amid concerns over unrest. When Maccabi Tel Aviv travelled to Amsterdam to face Ajax last November, Dutch police arrested 62 people following the clashes, with five hospitalised.

Police confirmed that supporters of the Israeli club attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire the day before the match, which had an additional presence of 800 officers placed on duty by city officials due to safety concerns.

Several European clubs reportedly inquired with UEFA about the possibility of avoiding a matchup against an Israeli team in continental competitions, but Villa were unable to avoid them in the draw. As per The Athletic, the WMP have advised the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) against approving an away allocation at Villa Park, and UEFA, the competition’s organiser, is expected to follow the recommendation of local authorities.

The SAG, which is tasked with advising on safety around the match, is made up of emergency services, the club and other stakeholders. Sources, speaking to The Athletic, said the situation was discussed at an emergency meeting between representatives from Birmingham City Council, the SAG, Villa and other relevant parties on Thursday.

UEFA Share Statement on Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Villa

The situation is complicated as UEFA rules stipulate that home teams must make at least five per cent of their stadium’s capacity available for away supporters. When asked for comment, UEFA said:

Around 30 per cent of the population of Birmingham is Muslim, according to a 2021 census, and the city has seen frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the start of the conflict. With that in mind, it won’t come as a surprise if Maccabi Tel Aviv’s presence in England is met with firm protests.

Israel’s national team recently sparked a strong response from those in Norway when they travelled for their World Cup Qualifier. Many locals protested before the game, and one fan even ran onto the pitch wearing a “Free Gaza” T-shirt. The national anthem was also booed, and chants of “Free Palestine” could be heard throughout.

Ayoub Khan, the independent member of parliament for Perry Barr, a district of Birmingham, has signed a petition calling for the game to be cancelled, relocated to a neutral third country or held behind closed doors without spectators. However, with the fixture just 20 days away, it is unlikely that it will be cancelled or relocated.