Maccabi v Apoel called off by police after ‘violent riots’

Apoel Tel Aviv criticized the cancellation of the derby, accusing Israeli police of “preparing for a war, not a sporting event”, including during discussions in the run-up to the much-anticipated match.

“The shocking events outside the stadium and following the reckless and scandalous decision not to go ahead with the match only demonstrate that the Israeli police have taken control of the sport,” Apoel said. X said in a statement, external.

Maccabi Tel Aviv have yet to comment, other than to confirm that the match has been cancelled.

The decision by the Birmingham Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa game on November 6 has drawn widespread criticism.

The UK government has since said it was works to overturn the ban and investigating what additional resources may be needed to ensure that the appliance can be hosted safely.

Villa told their stewards on the day of the match that they it shouldn’t have worked of the game, saying they understand some “may have concerns.”

On Thursday, West Midlands Police said they supported the ban and classed the match as “high risk” based on intelligence and previous incidents.

This includes “violent clashes and hate crimes” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024, when more than 60 people were arrested.

There have been protests at various sporting events over the war in Gaza, including when Israel played Norway and Italy in recent World Cup qualifiers.