Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
12,000+ sign petition to cancel Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match
A petition calling on Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv to cancel their scheduled match on November 6 2025 has reached 12,864 signatures, with organisers aiming to reach 15,000.
The petition, backed by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, urges both the Football Association (FA) in England and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to immediately cancel the fixture and exclude 'Israeli' teams from international football competitions.
Read more: UK government reviews ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
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Supporters of the petition argue that allowing 'Israeli' clubs to compete internationally serves to normalize their country’s actions in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories.
They point to links between Maccabi Tel Aviv and the 'Israeli' military, including the club’s purported “care packages” to soldiers, and highlight that the 'Israeli' Football Association includes teams based in settlements in the occupied West Bank - actions the petitioners claim violate UEFA and FIFA statutes.
The organisers warn: “Football teams from a state responsible for genocide and implementing apartheid have no place in international sports. If this match is not cancelled, we will mobilise protests on the day.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans banned from game
Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were banned from attending their match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Nov. 6 after police intelligence assessed that extremist fans of the 'Israeli' club posed the highest risk of violence. West Midlands Police, in coordination with the UK national football policing unit, concluded the ban following reports of previous incidents, including attacks on Muslims by Maccabi fans during a game in Amsterdam last year.
The assessment noted that scores of extreme supporters with a history of violence and racist taunts were expected to travel to Birmingham. Authorities warned that any trouble could spark local reprisals.
The decision was endorsed by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group, though critics, including the UK Prime Minister, claimed it could be seen as a surrender to antisemitism.
