BREAKING: Aston Villa’s home Europa League match against Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will have no away fans attending after West Midlands Police decided it would not be safe based on “current intelligence and previous incidents”.https://t.co/G8gDzyqv3Q @RobHarris
📺 Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/RwtcydVHAN
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 16, 2025
Premier League club Aston Villa has barred all Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending an upcoming Europa League clash, citing “a number of physical and safety factors.”
The decision, reported by The Jerusalem Post, came ahead of the fixture against the Israeli side. The club made clear that no visiting fans would be permitted inside the stadium for safety reasons.
While Aston Villa justified the move on security grounds, critics have raised concerns over discrimination and fairness. The ban also draws into focus ongoing issues of antisemitism in football and how safety arguments can intersect with broader political and cultural tensions.
The announcement has triggered debate among supporters, civil liberties groups, and football authorities about whether adequate safeguards or alternative measures could have been employed instead of a wholesale fan exclusion.
The match will now proceed without any Maccabi Tel Aviv fans present, setting a contentious precedent in international club fixtures.
It’s outrageous that in Britain today the safety of football fans supporting Maccabi Tel Aviv cannot be guaranteed and they’ve been banned from attending Villa Park.
Those who have whipped up hatred and hostility have no respect for our values. https://t.co/4Ew1zwEBLZ
— Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) October 16, 2025