“The wrong decision”
Prime Minister criticizes exclusion of Israeli fans
October 17, 2025 – 11:15 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
At the upcoming European Cup game in Birmingham, the seats in the guest block will remain empty. The authorities have decided that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters will not be admitted.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has to forego support in the stadium in the Europa League. Fans of the Israeli team were banned from attending the game against English Premier League club Aston Villa on November 6th. The host announced this. The decisive factor is a decision by the responsible security advisory group (SAG), which is responsible for stadium operations at Villa Park.
The British authorities cited security concerns surrounding the encounter as the reason. The West Midlands Police are expecting protests around the game and see public order at risk. UEFA and the home club were informed about the measure in the afternoon. A general event in front of an audience is still planned – the ban only applies to away fans.
The decision is not only met with repercussions from a sporting perspective. Great Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer was also publicly critical. On Platform X he described the exclusion as “the wrong decision”. It is the police’s job to “ensure that all football fans can enjoy the game without having to fear violence or intimidation.” The 63-year-old emphasized that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated on British streets.
UEFA said in a statement that such decisions were the responsibility of local authorities. They would like all fans to be able to accompany their teams “in a safe and welcoming environment”. The aim remains to create the necessary conditions for this through suitable measures together with associations and authorities.
Aston Villa emphasized in its statement that the club would be in close contact with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local institutions throughout the entire process. The safety of everyone involved has priority in all considerations.
The background to the approach is political tensions, which have also recently become apparent at sporting events. Games involving Israel have been accompanied by pro-Palestinian protests in several countries. The reason is Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Even after a ceasefire between the government in Jerusalem and the Islamist Hamas, tensions have not subsided.