🔗 Share this article Tel Aviv Derby Cancelled Following Major Disturbances The sports venue in Tel Aviv was filled with haze ahead of the planned kick-off Released 22:27 BST on October 19, 2025 Updated 9 minutes ago The domestic football league rivalry match featuring one local team and their city rivals was cancelled before commencement on Sunday, following what authorities labeled as "public disorder and serious disturbances". "Numerous of smoke bombs and flares were launched," law enforcement announced on online platforms, noting "this cannot be considered a sporting event, it represents unrest and significant aggression". Twelve civilians and three police personnel were hurt, officials confirmed, while nine people were taken into custody and sixteen questioned by police. The clashes come just a brief period after officials in the Britain said that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ought to be banned to attend the international tournament match at the Birmingham team in the UK in November because of security issues. One team criticised the match postponement, claiming law enforcement of "getting ready for a war, instead of a sporting event", including during discussions in the preparation to the eagerly-awaited fixture. "The disturbing events outside the arena and following the ill-considered and scandalous ruling to cancel the match only demonstrate that the authorities has seized authority in the football," the team stated officially. Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, only acknowledging the game was called off. The decision by security authorities to prohibit the team's supporters from the English fixture on November 6 has provoked widespread criticism. The government officials has since said it is working to overturn the prohibition and exploring what extra measures might be necessary to guarantee the fixture can be hosted safely. Aston Villa informed their security personnel that they could choose not to participate at the fixture, explaining they acknowledged that some "might feel uneasy". On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police stated it supported the restriction and designated the fixture as "high risk" based on intelligence and previous incidents. That encompassed "physical confrontations and discrimination incidents" involving Ajax and followers ahead of a fixture in the Netherlands in November 2024, when numerous persons were detained. There have been demonstrations at various sporting events over the situation in Gaza, including when the national team competed against Norway and the European team in recent international matches. Related topics The sport More on this story Follow your club with sports coverage Released recently Listen to the latest football podcast Receive sports updates delivered directly to your phone Released August 16