Keir Starmer Set To Overturn Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Ban At Aston Villa Game
In a move that I’m sure will end brilliantly, Keir Starmer is doing ‘everything in his power’ to overturn the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa on November 6th.
The prime minister joined calls for Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group and West Midlands Police to reverse the decision and allow Maccabi fans to attend the game, despite having never gone to the trouble of doing the same for banned supporters of other clubs and countries.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wrote on X: “Antisemitism is a stain on our society that shames us all. Every football fan, whoever they are, should be able to watch their team in safety.
“This Government is doing everything in our power to ensure all fans can safely attend the game.”
The move to prohibit Maccabi away supporters from attending the game at Villa Park was made amid public safety fears, following violent clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the Ajax/Maccabi game in Amsterdam last year.
At the game, the notoriously troublesome Maccabi fans engaged in racist, anti-Arab and pro-genocidal chanting, and so authorities decided that it would not be a good idea to have the Israeli contingent behave in that manner in Birmingham, which has a large ethnic population and pro-Palestinian sentiment.
Even still, Keir Starmer claimed that the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters was “antisemitic”, and has a load of influential Israelis on his case demanding that he do something about it.
This is the wrong decision.
We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.
The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.https://t.co/8aBeqE4qbA
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 16, 2025
A government spokesperson said it’s “working with policing and other partners” to ensure the game between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv can go ahead next month “with all fans present”.
They added: “No one should be stopped from watching a football game simply because of who they are.
“The government is working with policing and other partners to do everything in our power to ensure this game can safely go ahead, with all fans present.
“We are exploring what additional resources and support are required, so all fans can attend.”
And so it sounds as though the decision will be reversed imminently, and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be free to attend the game at Villa Park in November. Quite incredible that Keir Starmer and his government would rather put the public at risk than offend their Israeli overlords, but perhaps also not surprising at this point.
The people of Birmingham will not be happy about it, that’s for sure. Here’s hoping things remain trouble-free on the night.
For the Oxford university student suspended and under police investigation for starting a ‘put Zios in the ground’ chant, click HERE.
