Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Maccabi to be played without away fans

Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters will not be permitted to attend their Europa League match at Aston Villa on November 6 due to safety concerns raised by local authorities.

The decision follows advice from the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which cited ‘a number of physical and safety factors’ in recommending that no away allocation be approved at Villa Park.

Villa confirmed the news in a statement on Thursday, saying the SAG had informed the club and UEFA of its decision after discussions involving West Midlands Police, Birmingham City Council and other agencies.

According to Villa, the police expressed concerns about public safety outside the stadium and the potential for protests linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The force later classified the fixture as ‘high risk’ following a detailed assessment referencing ‘violent clashes and hate crime offences’ during Maccabi’s Europa League game against Ajax in Amsterdam last year.

Dutch authorities made 62 arrests during that incident, with several fans hospitalised and 800 officers deployed to contain unrest.

UEFA rules typically require home teams to allocate at least five percent of stadium capacity to visiting fans, but they confirmed that local authorities retain final responsibility for crowd safety decisions.

“UEFA wants fans to be able to travel and support their team in a safe, secure and welcoming environment,” a spokesperson said.

“However, safety and security decisions are determined by competent local authorities based on risk assessments.”

The match in Birmingham has drawn political and social scrutiny, with the city’s large Muslim population and recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations prompting heightened vigilance from law enforcement.

Independent MP Ayoub Khan, who represents Perry Barr, has called for the fixture to be cancelled, relocated, or played behind closed doors, citing risks to community harmony.

Maccabi Tel Aviv have not commented on the decision, while West Midlands Police declined to elaborate further beyond their official statement.

Villa have started their Europa League campaign with two wins from two, and will visit Go Ahead Eagles on October 23 before hosting Maccabi.