Tel-Aviv Derby Cancelled Due to Serious Unrest

• Released
  October 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM BST

The domestic football league derby featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off ahead of commencement on Sunday, following what police characterized as "civil unrest and serious disturbances".

"Numerous of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," law enforcement announced on digital channels, emphasizing "this is not a sporting event, this is chaos and serious violence".

A dozen civilians and multiple law enforcement members were hurt, police said, while several individuals were taken into custody and numerous others detained for questioning.

The clashes occur just days after officials in the UK stated that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans should not be allowed to go to the Europa League game at Aston Villa in Britain next month because of safety concerns.

Hapoel Tel Aviv censured the match postponement, accusing law enforcement of "gearing up for a war, rather than a game", including during meetings in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited match.

"The shocking situations around the venue and following the ill-considered and unacceptable judgment to cancel the match only demonstrate that the law enforcement has taken control of the game," Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, merely stating the game was called off.

The ruling by security authorities to prohibit club followers from the Birmingham game on 6 November has sparked widespread criticism.

The British authorities has since said it is attempting to reverse the ban and investigating what further support might be necessary to make certain the fixture can be held without incident.

The English club told their stadium staff that they did not have to work at the game, explaining they acknowledged that some "might feel uneasy".

On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police confirmed it endorsed the restriction and classified the fixture as "high risk" according to reports and earlier occurrences.

That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" among the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of a fixture in Amsterdam in late 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.

There have been demonstrations at various games over the war in Gaza, for instance when the national team played the Scandinavian team and Italy in current international matches.

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