Overview
- West Midlands Police are deploying more than 700 officers, including mounted, dog and drone units, with Section 60 stop-and-search in place from midday Thursday to 3am Friday and a temporary flight restriction over Villa Park.
- Protests are scheduled, including a Palestine Solidarity Campaign rally at 6pm at Aston Park Pavilion calling for Israel’s exclusion from international football, with a counter-protest by the group Our Fight planned near the Doug Ellis Stand.
- Away supporters have been barred after the Safety Advisory Group classified the fixture as high risk, and Maccabi Tel Aviv has said it will not accept any ticket allocation.
- Local disruption is expected as several nearby schools close early, police conduct multiple ticket checks on routes to the ground, and road and rail users near Aston and Witton are advised of delays.
- Aston Villa has limited sales to supporters with a prior purchase history and reiterated UEFA’s ban on political displays inside the stadium, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised the decision to exclude away fans.