Explainer: The banning of Israeli supporters from UK football match

Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at UK Premier League club Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters.

"From hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context," Maccabi said in a statement released on Monday.

"We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future."

Who took the initial decision to ban Maccabi fans?

The banning of Maccabi supporters from the Europa League match on November 6 at Villa Park followed safety concerns raised by British police.

Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), on the advice of West Midlands Police. SAGs are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games in English football. 

Why was the decision taken?

British police cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel's recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.

Israeli teams have become a focus for pro-Palestinian protesters as passions over the conflict in Gaza have run high.

The city of Birmingham, where Aston Villa play, has been the site of frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the start of the conflict. The area's population is around 30 percent Muslim and there were fears of potential street clashes between Maccabi supporters and local Muslims.

A further worry surrounded the troublesome reputation of Maccabi supporters. Last Sunday, a match between them and Tel Aviv rivals Hapoel was cancelled before kick-off following violent scenes. 

Europe's football authority UEFA has announced that it will investigate the match, which saw Israeli police officers injured after smoke grenades and pyrotechnic devices were thrown onto the pitch. Maccabi blamed Hapoel fans for the incidents.

Last November, more than 60 people were arrested in Amsterdam after clashes following a Europa League match between Maccabi and Ajax. Police said anti-Israeli gangs on scooters chased and beat Maccabi fans in the Dutch capital. Five people were treated in hospital.

Video showed Maccabi fans in the days before the game chanting anti-Arab slogans. Police said Maccabi supporters burned a Palestinian flag, pulled down another and vandalized a taxi. The mayor later said she would not host Maccabi again.

West Midlands Police referred to that match in its statement: "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."

What was the response to the banning?

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as "shameful."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted on X that it was "the wrong decision." His government announced last Friday it would do everything in its power to make sure traveling fans could attend the match in Birmingham next month.

"We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets," Starmer wrote. "The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation."

A spokesperson for the government said on Friday that it was working with the police "to ensure this game can safely go ahead, with all fans present".

However, local independent member of parliament, Ayoub Khan, backed the ban and went further, saying Israeli teams should be banned from European competition.

"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," he said in a statement.

Will the match go ahead?

Yes. There are numerous examples of matches played with only one team's fans present in a stadium. This season's Europa League has seen two other such bans.

Ajax fans were banned from their away fixture against Marseille, with local authorities citing "public safety and security."

Supporters of Eintracht Frankfurt are also forbidden from attending the match against Napoli in Naples in the same competition on November 4.