[thenry]

modern society!

Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 6, following an instruction from the Safety Advisory Group.

The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) are responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, based on a number of physical and safety factors.

Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG have formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.

West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.

The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision.

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/oct...cabi-tel-aviv/

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will not be able to attend their side's Europa League match with Aston Villa because of safety concerns, it has been announced.

West Midlands Police said the decision was based partly on what happened in Amsterdam last year, when Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a match against Ajax were targets of antisemitic attacks.

Dozens of people were arrested and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said assaults "against Israelis and Jews are nothing short of shocking and reprehensible".

The Jewish Leadership Council, which works to protect British Jews, slammed the decision to stop Israeli fans from travelling to Birmingham.

https://news.sky.com/story/maccabi-t...cerns-13451240

Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv next month is set to be played without any away fans of the Israeli club at the game.

West Midlands Police has advised Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to hold the match at Villa Park on November 6 without away supporters due to safety concerns around the fixture, sources have told The Times.

It would be unprecedented for the SAG not to follow police advice, and Uefa will implement a ban on away fans on the basis of a decision by the local authorities.

A number of threats have been made around the match, which are understood to have been taken seriously by police.

About 120 travelling fans attended Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League match against the Greek side PAOK on September 24, amid heavy police protection, with pro-Palestinian protests taking place outside the ground in Thessaloniki. They are the only Israeli side in European club competition this season.

There were also protests when Israel’s national team played in Norway and Italy this week in World Cup qualifiers.

The ceasefire agreed in Gaza has meant that plans by Uefa to vote on suspending Israel have been put on hold. The Times revealed last month that several European clubs had asked Uefa if there was any way they could avoid playing Israeli opponents.

West Midlands Police and Villa have been approached for comment.

https://archive.ph/FJLG3

https://www.thetimes.com/sport/footb...game-96bc9bkp7

Football without fans is nothing. Unless it's COVID. And government action. Yet this goes amiss.