The upcoming Europa League clash between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, scheduled for November 6 at Villa Park, has taken on an unusual and controversial character before a ball has even been kicked. In a move that has sparked debate across football and political circles, Maccabi Tel Aviv announced they will refuse any away ticket allocation for their supporters, regardless of whether local authorities later relax restrictions. This decision, rooted in safety concerns and a charged atmosphere, means the stands in Birmingham will be filled solely with home fans for a European night that was expected to draw significant attention from across the continent.
The saga began last week when Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches at Villa Park, advised against allowing Maccabi supporters to attend. Their recommendation came after a risk assessment by West Midlands Police, who classified the fixture as “high risk.” The police pointed to recent demonstrations during Israel’s World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine, as well as violent confrontations and hate crime offenses involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam in November 2024.
“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 Tel Aviv said in a statement on Monday. The club emphasized that “the wellbeing and safety of our fans is paramount.” Maccabi made it clear that their decision is final, even if the authorities later reverse the ban. The club added, “We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
The move has not been without controversy. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as “shameful,” while the UK Government expressed disappointment but respected Maccabi’s right to make the call. “The Government has been working around the clock to defend a basic principle, that football fans should be able to enjoy a game without fear of intimidation or violence. We are deeply saddened Maccabi Tel Aviv have turned down their away fan allocation but we respect their right to do so,” a UK Government spokesperson said.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy criticized the ban as exclusionary, especially towards Jewish people, and questioned the risk assessment’s basis on ethnicity and religion. “The solution that is proposed, to exclude a group from attending, is wrong. It chooses exclusion rather than looking at the full options available to manage that risk. This is about who we are as a country,” Nandy remarked during a heated session in the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, Maccabi Tel Aviv have pushed back against what they see as an unfair narrative surrounding their supporters. The club’s statement noted, “Our first-team squad consists of Muslims, Christian and Jewish players and our fan base also crosses the ethnic and religious divide. We have also been working tirelessly to stamp out racism within the more extreme elements of our fan base.” They condemned what they described as “hate-filled falsehoods” and a “toxic atmosphere” that have made the safety of their fans wishing to attend “very much in doubt.”
The Fare network, which reports on discrimination for UEFA, weighed in by saying it was “reluctant to question” the police assessment, but noted that Maccabi fans were “well known for their racism.” Fare is understood to have made multiple referrals to UEFA in the last decade concerning discriminatory behavior by Maccabi fans inside stadiums. However, Maccabi insists that most of their supporters “have no truck with racism or hooliganism of any kind,” and that their fans regularly travel across Europe without incident.
The UK Football Policing Unit is currently in discussions with Israeli authorities to determine the role, if any, that Maccabi fans played in disturbances leading to the cancellation of the Tel Aviv derby on October 19, 2025. Maccabi has firmly denied involvement, stating, “Our fans regularly travel all over Europe without incident and to suggest that the reason our fans cannot be allowed to travel is due to their behaviour is an attempt to distort reality and to excuse the real underlying reasons for the decision to ban our fans.”
For Aston Villa, the match will have a different feel. The Villans, who have been in scintillating form with five consecutive wins in all competitions leading up to this announcement, will have to draw energy from a home-only crowd. Currently sitting third in the Europa League standings, Villa are considered strong favorites to progress from the group, especially under the guidance of manager Unai Emery. The absence of away fans, however, will strip the night of some of its usual European flavor and intensity.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, on the other hand, find themselves 30th in the Europa League after two rounds. The Israeli club has faced a challenging start to their continental campaign, and now must contend with the psychological blow of not having their supporters in the stands. Yet, the club remains resolute in its commitment to safety above all, even if it means sacrificing the unique atmosphere that traveling fans bring to European nights.
Politicians, football officials, and fan groups have all weighed in on the situation, making it clear that the issue extends far beyond the pitch. The debate touches on sensitive questions of security, discrimination, and the responsibilities of football clubs and public authorities in ensuring both safety and inclusion. Ayoub Khan, independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, tried to draw a distinction, saying, “Those who are not welcome in Aston are hooligans that have a long history of violence and vile racism.” He stressed that the ban should not be seen as targeting an entire community.
Lisa Nandy echoed that point, acknowledging “a minority” of Maccabi fans “whose behaviour is reprehensible” but emphasizing that “it is unprecedented in modern times that all away fans have been banned because of the behaviour of a small minority.” The question remains whether this decision sets a precedent for future high-risk fixtures across Europe and whether it signals a growing trend of exclusion in the name of security.
As November 6 draws closer, all eyes will be on Villa Park—not just for the football on display, but for what the night represents in the ongoing conversation about safety, inclusion, and the spirit of the game. For now, Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv must prepare for a unique European night, one where the roar of away fans will be conspicuously absent, but the stakes—on and off the pitch—couldn’t be higher.
With the action set to unfold under extraordinary circumstances, both clubs and their supporters will hope that future fixtures can be played in an environment defined by sporting passion, not fear or division. Until then, the Europa League spotlight will shine a little differently on Birmingham this November.
