No Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be allowed at Villa Park for their Europa League tie next month and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has given his verdict on the decision
21:26, 16 Oct 2025Updated 12:30, 17 Oct 2025
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has slammed the decision to restrict Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from travelling to Villa Park for their Europa League tie against Aston Villa. The decision was confirmed on Thursday, 21 days before the Israeli club visit the Premier League outfit in the European competition.
The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) informed Villa that no travelling supporters would be permitted to attend the match as away supporters. A spokesperson for the West Midlands Police cited previous incidents, including the scenes during last season's match between Ajax and the Maccabi supporters, as the reason for the decision.
However, the decision has been met by opposition from both sides of the political scale, with Starmer reiterating that the role of the police is to 'ensure all football fans enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation'. Meanwhile, leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch labelled the decision as a 'national disgrace' while Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, posted: "A serious mistake by WM Police. You don’t tackle antisemitism by banning its victims. This decision must be reversed."
In a post on X - formerly Twitter - the Prime Minister wrote: "This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation."
In a statement published by the Premier League club, Villa confirmed that no away fans will be in attendance for the Group Stage encounter on November 6 following instruction from the SAG.
READ MORE: Aston Villa issue statement on Maccabi Tel Aviv game as decision confirmed amid safety concernsREAD MORE: Son Heung-min could make shock Premier League transfer due to 'David Beckham clause'"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 statement began.
"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.
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"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."
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said that they support the decision and the force remain "steadfast in support of all affected communities and reaffirm" their zero-tolerance stance on hate crime at all times.
Their statement read: "West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending.
"This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
"Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety."
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