Overview
- Britain’s local Safety Advisory Group, guided by West Midlands Police, had already barred visiting fans for the November 6 Europa League match after classifying the fixture as high risk based on current intelligence and prior incidents in Amsterdam.
- UK ministers criticized the exclusion of away fans and said resources could be provided to manage risks, but acknowledged that the final operational assessment remains with local police and safety authorities.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv said it would not take an allocation for travelling supporters, emphasizing fan safety concerns and questioning claims about its broader fan base, which the club said it is working to keep free of racism and hooliganism.
- British policing units are liaising with Israeli counterparts to understand the disorder that led Israeli police to call off the Tel Aviv derby, with reports of injuries, arrests and dozens of flares thrown before kick-off.
- Maccabi’s decision means there will be no travelling supporters regardless of any review of the local ban, while discussions continue on policing resources and the investigation into recent fan disorder.