Maccabi Tel Aviv will not sell tickets to fans for Europa League matches at Villa Park, the Israeli club has said.
The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) decided last week to block visiting fans from attending the game against Aston Villa on November 6 following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police.
The decision drew immediate criticism from politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Following the protests, the British government said on Friday it was exploring what “additional resources and support are needed” to ensure “all fans” can attend.
However, Maccabi released a statement on Monday night confirming they would not be selling supporters tickets. “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is of the utmost importance and, through hard lessons learned, we have decided to reject the proposed allocation on behalf of our away fans and our decision must be understood in that context.
“We hope things will change and we look forward to playing in a sporting environment in Birmingham in the near future.”
The statement questioned the motives of those trying to justify the ban.
The club said, “We appreciate the efforts of the British government and police to ensure that fans of both teams can safely attend the game,” and added, “We are grateful for the messages of support from the soccer world and society at large.”
“Our first-team squad is made up of Muslim, Christian and Jewish players and our fan base also cuts across ethnic and religious boundaries. We have also worked tirelessly to root out racism within the more extreme elements of our fan base.
“It is clear that various entrenched groups are trying to defame the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan base, most of whom do not tolerate racism or hooliganism of any kind and are using isolated incidents for their own social and political purposes.
He added, “A toxic atmosphere has been created due to false and hate-filled facts, and the safety of fans wishing to attend is highly questionable.”
In response to Maccabi’s decision to refuse to sell tickets to fans, a government spokesman said in a statement: “The government has worked day and night to uphold the fundamental principle that football fans should be able to enjoy matches without fear of intimidation or violence.”
“We are very saddened that Maccabi Tel Aviv has refused to allocate away fans, but we respect their right to do so.
“It is completely unacceptable that this game has been weaponized to incite violence and fear by those who seek to divide us.
“We will never tolerate anti-Semitism or extremism on our streets. We will continue to work closely with police to ensure these games are played safely and that Jewish communities across this country enjoy the safety and security they deserve.”
The Tel Aviv derby between rivals Hapoel and Maccabi was canceled on Sunday following violent clashes between supporters. Police said 12 people and three police officers were injured.
Following the disorder, Perry Barr Ayoub Khan, an independent member of parliament for Birmingham, described Maccabi fans as “hooligans, people who show no mercy” and demanded the Prime Minister apologize for his criticism of the ban.
Earlier on Monday, Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said the decision to ban the supporters was “choosing to exclude” Jews.
Responding to an urgent question from former sports minister Nigel Huddleston in the House of Commons on Monday, Nandy said the final decision must ultimately be made by the police.
But she said the nation “should be appalled” that the initial risk assessment was “based in no small part on the risk posed to fans in attendance who support Maccabees because they are Israelis and Jews.”
She added: “Proposed solutions that seek to exclude some groups from attending are wrong. They choose exclusion rather than looking at the full range of options available to manage risk. This is about who we are as a country.”
Last week West Midlands Police classified the facility as “high risk”. They said the decision was taken “based on current information and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.”
