Police chief says Maccabi Tel Aviv’s ‘significant levels of hooliganism’ reason for ban at Birmingham game

Police chief cites hooliganism among Maccabi Tel Aviv fans as reason for Birmingham ban

West Midlands Chief Superintendent Tom Joyce stated that "significant levels of hooliganism" among Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters led to their ban from attending the Europa League match between the Israeli team and Aston Villa in Birmingham.

The UK government had earlier pledged to overturn the decision, following criticism of the ban imposed by local safety advisers and police. The match, held in a city with a large Muslim community, has drawn considerable attention.

Despite the government's stance, Maccabi Tel Aviv later declined to accept tickets for their fans, citing safety concerns for those traveling to the UK.

“ We are simply trying to make decisions based on community safety, driven by the intelligence that was available to us and our assessment of the risk that was coming from admitting traveling fans,” said Tom Joyce.

Joyce emphasized that while threats against Maccabi fans were a factor, they were not the primary reason for the restriction. Instead, the decision was guided by policing intelligence suggesting that a segment of Maccabi supporters had engaged in serious hooligan behavior.

“We have intelligence and information that says that there is a section of Maccabi fans, not all Maccabi fans, but a section who engage in quite significant levels of hooliganism,” added Joyce.

The situation has sparked debate over public safety, fan behavior, and the balance between security and inclusion at international sporting events.

Author’s Summary

Police justified the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Birmingham due to hooliganism risks, despite governmental pressure and fan safety concerns.

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The Times of Israel The Times of Israel — 2025-11-06

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