Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off After Violent Riots

• Published
  19 October 2025, 22:27 BST

The domestic football league local clash featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before the start on Sunday, after what law enforcement characterized as "public disorder and major clashes".

"Dozens of smoke devices and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," Israeli police stated on social media, emphasizing "this isn't a match, this is chaos and significant aggression".

A dozen individuals and multiple law enforcement members were injured, officials confirmed, while nine people were taken into custody and sixteen detained for questioning.

The clashes occur just days after officials in the UK stated that followers of the club ought to be banned to go to the Europa League fixture at the Birmingham team in England next month because of security issues.

Hapoel Tel Aviv condemned the match postponement, alleging law enforcement of "gearing up for a war, rather than a sporting event", even during discussions in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited match.

"The disturbing situations outside the arena and due to the irresponsible and unacceptable decision not to hold the fixture only show that the law enforcement has seized authority in the football," the club said in a statement.

Their rivals has not yet commented, except to confirm the match was cancelled.

The judgment by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to ban club followers from the Birmingham game on the sixth of November has provoked broad condemnation.

The British authorities has subsequently stated it is attempting to reverse the prohibition and considering what additional resources might be needed to guarantee the match can be hosted safely.

Aston Villa told their security personnel that they were not required to attend at the fixture, explaining they recognized that some "might feel uneasy".

On the previous day, local authorities said it backed the prohibition and designated the fixture as "potentially dangerous" due to reports and previous incidents.

That involved "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" involving the Dutch team and their supporters prior to a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were detained.

There have been rallies at several athletic competitions concerning the conflict in Gaza, for instance when the national team competed against Norway and the European team in latest football World Cup qualifiers.

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