Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept away tickets for its Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, the club said on Monday.
The ban followed security concerns raised by British police, who cited possible protests outside Villa Park following demonstrations during Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.
“Based on the hard lessons we have learned, we have made the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision must be understood in that context,” Maccabi said in a statement.
“We hope that conditions will change and look forward to playing in a sporting environment in Birmingham in the near future.”
Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying it was following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which is responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park.
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West Midlands Police described the match as high-risk incidents from the past, including violent confrontations and hate crimes involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, ahead of a November 2024 match in Amsterdam.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the announcement «shameful.»
Villa is third in the Europa League rankings, while Maccabi Tel Aviv is thirtieth after two rounds.
Published on October 21, 2025
