Overview
- West Midlands Police deployed more than 700 officers, including mounted, dog and drone units, with Section 60 stop-and-search powers and a temporary flight restriction over the stadium.
- A local Safety Advisory Group, acting on police assessments and past disorder in Amsterdam in 2024, barred visiting Maccabi supporters from Villa Park.
- Pro-Palestinian groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, scheduled a demonstration near the ground from 6pm.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the ban as the wrong decision, and Maccabi Tel Aviv said it would refuse any away allocation due to a “toxic atmosphere.”
- Some Birmingham schools closed early and home fans were told to expect extra ticket checks as part of the matchday plan.