Maccabi Tel Aviv will reject away tickets for their Europa League game at Aston Villa, citing safety concerns amid controversy over a police decision to bar visiting fans.
Maccabi Tel Aviv have announced they will decline any away ticket allocation for next month’s Europa League fixture against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
The club’s decision follows last week’s ruling by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to bar visiting fans, after West Midlands Police classified the November 6 match as “high risk.” The move drew backlash from politicians, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
In a statement, Maccabi said: “The wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount… we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans.” The club also condemned what it described as “hate-filled falsehoods” that have created “a toxic atmosphere.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy criticized the ban as “choosing exclusion,” arguing the assessment was based on the fans’ Israeli and Jewish identity. However, West Midlands Police cited prior violent incidents involving Maccabi supporters in Amsterdam in 2024.
Independent MP Ayoub Khan countered claims of discrimination, saying the ban targets “hooligans with a long history of violence and vile racism.”
Maccabi denied involvement in recent unrest that halted the Tel Aviv derby, insisting their fans “travel all over Europe without incident.”