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Aston Villa has informed their matchday stewards that they have the option to not work at the club’s upcoming Europa League fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv due to safety concerns. This decision came before the club made the controversial move to ban fans of the Israeli club from attending the game at Villa Park, which has attracted significant criticism.
The city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) conducted an assessment and determined that it was necessary to block Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the match over safety worries. The UK government has expressed its intention to challenge this ban and is considering what additional resources may be needed, with a meeting of the SAG scheduled for the following week.
It has now come to light that some Aston Villa stewards have opted not to work at the upcoming match, although the club has chosen not to provide any comments on the matter. Stewards received an email from the matchday safety team on 3 October, allowing them to request an absence for the specific fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv without affecting their contractual minimum attendance requirement of 80 percent.
West Midlands Police have categorized the fixture as “high risk” due to intelligence reports and past incidents, including violent clashes between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in November 2024 that led to multiple arrests. The decision to prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the match has been met with criticism from both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other party leaders, denouncing any form of antisemitism in the community. Aston Villa emphasized their ongoing communication with Maccabi Tel Aviv and local authorities to prioritize the safety of supporters and residents in all decisions related to the match
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