Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will not be allowed to attend a Europa League match at Aston Villa next month due to security concerns, the English club said on Thursday.
Villa said in a statement that local police advised “they have concerns about public safety outside the stadium bowl and the ability to address any protests during the night.”
“The club is in constant dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities throughout this ongoing process,” Villa said, “with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of every decision.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv visits Villa Park on November 6. It will be the team’s first away match in the Europa League since pro-Palestinian protests took place at the stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece, when the club played PAOK on September 24.
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About 120 fans of the Israeli club traveled to Greece for that match and were held behind a police cordon before entering the venue.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans violently clashed with city residents in Amsterdam last season when the team visited for a Europa League match against Ajax.
European football body UEFA had been considering a vote to suspend Israeli teams from their competitions before it was overtaken by the Gaza ceasefire this month.
Published on October 16, 2025
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