Banning away fans over safety concerns has become more commonpublished at 12:49 BST 17 October

12:49 BST 17 October

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport

Image source, EPA

Despite the debate it triggers, the decision to stop Maccabi supporters from attending the football match in Birmingham isn’t the first time away fans have faced restrictions while travelling to games in Europe this season.

Regional police forces banning away fans at some matches - especially in France and Italy - has become more common in recent years.

Fans of Dutch club Ajax were prevented from attending their Uefa Champions League match against Marseille on 30 September. Ajax said the Marseille authorities had told them the ban was due to "public safety and security".

Napoli’s home game with Eintracht Frankfurt in the same competition, scheduled for 4 November, will also not have away fans, with the Naples police justifying the ban by citing "the high risks to public order and safety".

Image source, EPA

Some developments to bring you from Downing Street, where the prime minister's official spokesperson says discussions are happening "at pace, across government".

"Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is meeting officials to discuss what more can be done to try and find a way through to resolve this, and what more can be done to allow fans to attend the game safely," the spokesperson adds.

"The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, spoke to the local council this morning, and the Home Office is urgently working to support police to try and find a way through this."

The spokesperson adds that further updates are expected today and that conversations are being held with "all the relevant groups to find a way to resolve this".

Image source, PA Media

The decision on the fixture has sparked widespread reaction from political figures.

Most of the party leaders below have criticised the decision, except for the Green Party:

• Keir Starmer has called the decision "wrong", stressing that the police's role is "to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game"
• Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch said it was a "national disgrace" and called on the prime minister to "guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country"
• The Liberal Democrats' Ed Davey said the decision must be reversed "as soon as possible", adding that "it's completely wrong to tackle antisemitism by banning its victims"
• Reform UK's Nigel Farage wrote: "This takes racial discrimination to a whole new level"
• The Green Party Deputy Leader Mothin Ali, however, said "under normal circumstances" all fans should be allowed to attend, but also called for a sporting and cultural boycott of Israeli teams because of the war in Gaza

It’s Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) that has advised Maccabi Tel Aviv fans to stay away from the 6 November match at Villa Park.

The SAG is made up of several professional authorities who give advice on welfare, health and safety for events in the city.

As well as various arms of Birmingham City Council - including licensing and highways - British Transport Police, West Midlands Ambulance, West Midlands Fire and West Midlands Police are among the members.

The SAG says it’s there to:

• promote high standards of public health and safety
• encourage good practice in safety and welfare planning
• help different agencies work together to manage events
• create plans for emergencies and unexpected situations
• provide advice to reduce any negative impact from events

Last week, the SAG advised cancelling the annual Diwali Mela festival in Handsworth following the Manchester synagogue attack.

Last night, Villa said the SAG issued safety certificates for every match at Villa Park, "based on a number of physical and safety factors".

Villa also says the SAG wrote to the club and Uefa to advise that no away fans would be allowed to attend.

Separately, West Midlands Police told the SAG they had public safety concerns around the stadium and their ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.

The mayor of the West Midlands has also spoken about the decision to ban Maccabi fans, saying it should be reviewed if the government is willing to help with some policing costs.

Football is about "bringing people together", Richard Parker says, and everyone who loves the sport "should have a chance to attend".

But he also adds: "The first priority is the safety of individuals in and around Birmingham and Villa Park - that is paramount.

"Whilst I respect West Midlands Police, if the government are willing to support in terms of resource then there should be a review of the decision that has been made."

Parker says that while he does not oversee policing in the region, he wants to work with involved parties to find a solution that "keeps the spirit of inclusive and accessible sport alive - whilst ensuring the safety of local people and visitors".

Image source, PA Media

The leader of Birmingham City Council, John Cotton, says Prime Minister Keir Starmer was right to call the Maccabi fans ban a "wrong decision".

"Fans should not be prevented from attending a football match in our city because of threats or violence," Cotton says.

He adds that while he respects the independence of the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), he is asking them to "urgently review their decision".

"Football and Birmingham should be a game and city for everyone," the council leader says.

• As a reminder, earlier the West Midlands' police and crime commissioner also asked the police and the Safety Advisory Group to review the ban

Lack of fans could affect fairness and atmospherepublished at 11:34 BST 17 October

11:34 BST 17 October

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport

Image source, Reuters

If Maccabi Tel Aviv fans are barred from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa, it could affect both the fairness of the contest and the atmosphere at Villa Park.

From a sporting point of view, the lack of travelling supporters can take away the emotional energy and momentum that away players often get from their fans in the stands.

Maccabi Tel Aviv are still looking for their first Europa League win of the season after a draw with Greek side PAOK FC and a defeat to Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb.

Facing a strong Villa side in front of their own fans, with no support from the stands, could make things even tougher for Maccabi on their away trip.

While the away goals rule was scrapped from European competitions by Uefa in 2021, it showed how European ties are seen - with away fixtures traditionally considered harder and away goals once carrying extra weight.

For Villa and their fans, the absence of Maccabi supporters could dampen the experience of a European night, where rival fans usually add intensity and atmosphere.

Image source, EPA

A local safety advisory group, which issues safety certificates for matches at Villa Park in Birmingham, has advised that supporters of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv should not attend the fixture against Aston Villa next month.

The decision has been widely criticised by politicians - but backed by police, which has said the event is classified as "high-risk".

Here's a quick catch-up:

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised the decision, saying the role of police is "to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation"
• West Midlands Police has backed the move - explaining it was based on intelligence and previous incidents
• The Police and Crime Commissioner has asked to see the police assessment and requested an immediate review
• We've also heard from fans and locals - one calls it a "dark day for Britain" while another believes it's "a clear cut piece around the safety" of local people

As we continue to bring you updates and reactions, senior government officials are set to meet today to try to find a "way through", according to a minister.

Stay with us.

Image source, EPA-EFE

As we've reported earlier, West Midlands Police said the decision to prohibit Maccabi supporters was based on previous incidents, including "violent clashes" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before and after a match in Amsterdam in November 2024.

Here's a quick reminder of what happened.

More than 60 people were arrested over the violence, which city officials described as a "toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger" over the war in Gaza, Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof at the time referred to "antisemitic attacks", while the king said the country could not ignore "antisemitic behaviour".

Footage later played in court appeared to show Maccabi supporters pulling down Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against Arabs.

A police chief at the time said there had been incidents "on both sides".

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, Getty Images

Pro-Palestinian protests have become such a common feature for Israeli teams playing in Europe - in just the last week there have been three examples in Norway, Italy and Spain.

Last Saturday there were 22 arrests near the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo after clashes before Israel’s World Cup qualifier against Norway. Reports say tear gas was used after several demonstrators broke through police barriers.

Ahead of the match, the head of Norway’s Football Federation had called for Israel to be suspended from international football.

Three evenings later the Israeli national team played their next qualifying tie against Italy in the northern city of Udine. An estimated 5,000 demonstrators marched before the game chanting that it should not have been played in the Stadio Friuli.

Security was tight and clashes with police broke out during the evening - again as some protesters tried to break through a cordon of riot police - and two journalists were hurt and a number of people were arrested.

Italy has seen some of the biggest pro-Palestinian protests in Europe, and workers went on strike earlier this month in many towns and cities.

But the protests have not been confined to football.

In Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel to be barred from international sport because of the Gaza war, 500 police were deployed ahead of Wednesday’s Euroleague basketball game between Valencia and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Spanish reports said almost 1,000 protesters took part in a demo outside the Roig Arena and several people were arrested.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

In October 2023, European football's governing body Uefa ruled that, due to the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli teams would have to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

The Israeli national teams and Israeli football clubs were - and still are - asked to find neutral venues for Uefa international and continental club competitions.

This covers World Cup qualifiers, Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League ties.

Last season, Maccabi Tel Aviv played Europa League matches in Belgrade. This season, the club has chosen to play in the northern Serbian town of Bačka Topola - a stadium which holds 4,500 people.

There was also an instance last season - after violent clashes in Amsterdam - where Maccabi Tel Aviv were due to play away to Turkish side Beşiktaş in Istanbul.

However, Uefa ruled that match would take place in Debrecen, Hungary, after Turkish authorities decided not to stage it in Turkey. The match was also played behind closed doors, external following a decision from local Hungarian authorities, Uefa said.

Image source, Getty Images

Lucy Manning
Special correspondent

Image source, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Former British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, a Maccabi Tel Aviv and Tottenham Hotspur supporter, says she is "shocked to her core with this outrageous decision" and has urged authorities to reconsider.

Damari, who was held by Hamas for 471 days and appeared on Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium turf after her release, says the decision is like putting a sign outside the stadium saying "no Jews allowed".

"Football is a way of bringing people together irrespective of their faith, colour or religion and this disgusting decision does the exact opposite," she adds.

"What has become of the UK where blatant antisemitism has become the norm. What a sad world we are living in."

The club campaigned for her release and the release of Ziv and Gali Berman and Omri Miran who were freed this week.

A few months after Emily Damari was freed she appeared on the pitch leading the Maccabi fans in a football chant and thanking them for campaigning for her release. She told them they had helped in her darkest days.

"When I heard in captivity on the radio that we won the championship, I screamed even when I wasn’t allowed to. When I returned I heard about your struggle, about the signs and chants. You didn’t give up. Maccabi is a family. You proved it in every moment."

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport

As we've been reporting, Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv will travel to Birmingham to play their fourth Europa League game of the season against Premier League club Aston Villa at Villa Park on 6 November.

The Europa League is the second-tier competition of European club football - it ranks below the Champions League and above the Conference League.

Clubs from Uefa member nations qualify for the Europa League based on how they perform in their national leagues and cup competitions.

This season, 36 teams - including English clubs Villa and Nottingham Forest - are competing in a league phase, with each club playing eight games.

The top eight teams after the league phase progress to the round of 16, while teams ranked from ninth to 24th go into a knockout phase play-off.

Israel has been a member of Uefa, the governing body of European football, since 1994.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Angelides is the CEO of Maccabi Tel Aviv. This morning, he tells the BBC that Aston Villa has been relaying the position of the police to the Israeli club.

"I can't say they have taken any particular position," Angelides tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "They have just been keeping us up to date."

Angelides says he would have expected over 1,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans to attend the match.

"To be frank, it's met with some dismay about what this potentially is signalling," he says, when the topic comes to the fans ban.

He says he understands the reason the authorities may not be able to protect the fans. But he adds: "I do think this is an extremely important moment because of what it signifies. I don't use this term lightly but people ask: 'what does antisemitism look like?'"

"And it's often manifested as part of a process - a process in other words small events leading up to something that's more," he says.

BBC Radio 5 Live is currently discussing whether the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans should remain.

Johnny in Birmingham says he understands the safety concerns but he's disappointed - he says not having away supporters will affect the atmosphere.

Johnny Gould, former director of the Aston Villa Supporters Trust, calls it a "dark day for Britain". He says he "doesn't want politics in the business of football".

Adil Parkar from Al Fallah mosque in Birmingham, near the Aston Villa ground, says: "We do welcome the decision… for us it’s a clear cut piece around the safety and security of our local people here."

Image source, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

The West Midlands' police and crime commissioner has asked police and Birmingham City Council's Safety Advisory Group, made up of police, the city council, fire service and other organisations, to immediately review the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from next month's Europa League match in the city.

Simon Foster says the request is to check whether the decision is "appropriate, necessary, justified, reasonable and a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim".

"That must include consideration, of all and any suitable, alternative options," Foster adds.

He has also asked to see the written decision and recommendation from the advisory group, as well as the police assessment.

The commissioner stresses, though, that the decision is ultimately for the advisory group and the police.

Following West Midlands Police's decision to support banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, former Metropolitan Police Ch Supt Dal Babu says police would have made that call by gathering intelligence from social media platforms, and possibly from covert sources.

Babu, who sits on the London Policing Board, tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme that officials would have looked at what happened in Amsterdam last November and consulted a range of professionals used to managing public order events - including football matches and concerts.

"It is not just at the ground, it is managing the people travelling, people being dispersed from the ground and I think that makes it much more difficult to manage that across a much wider place," Babu says.

Image source, VLN NIEWS/ANP/AFP

We reported earlier that West Midlands Police has supported the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, classifying the fixture as "high-risk".

Here's a bit more on why they've said that:

"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."

• You can read more about the Amsterdam violence in our report last year

Senior government officials are set to meet later today to try to reverse the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, a government minister has said this morning.

Ian Murray, a minister in the culture department, tells Sky News that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Home Office officials will be among those meeting to see whether there is a "way through" the ban.

He separately tells BBC Breakfast: "It's the wrong decision in terms of the message that it sends out for antisemitism but it also [sends out] the wrong message to the entire country - that you would be banned from going to public events if you're of the wrong race, religion or creed."

Image source, PA Media

As we've been reporting, a safety advisory group has advised that fans of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv won't be allowed to attend the 6 November Europa League match against Aston Villa.

Here are the latest comments on the situation:

• West Midlands Police says it supports the decision - the force has classified the fixture as "high-risk"
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised the move - saying the role of police is "to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation"
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called the decision a "national disgrace"
• Aston Villa says it is in "continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities", with the safety of supporters and local residents "at the forefront of any decision"
• Uefa, European football's governing body, tells the Reuters news agency that decisions about safety and security of matches are the responsibility of competent local authorities

More reactions are coming in as we write, and we'll bring them to you shortly.