Tel-Aviv Local Rivalry Cancelled Following Major Disturbances

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

The Israeli Premier League derby involving Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was cancelled prior to kick-off on the weekend, due to what police characterized as "public disorder and serious disturbances".

"Numerous of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were launched," law enforcement posted on online platforms, adding "this cannot be considered a match, it constitutes disorder and serious violence".

Twelve people and several officers were hurt, police said, while several individuals were detained and sixteen held for interrogation.

The clashes occur just days after officials in the UK said that followers of the club should not be allowed to be present at the European competition fixture at the English club in Britain the following month because of public safety worries.

One team condemned the match postponement, alleging Israeli police of "gearing up for a battle, not a football match", particularly during discussions in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited match.

"The alarming situations around the stadium and due to the ill-considered and scandalous decision to cancel the fixture only demonstrate that the authorities has taken control of the sport," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially.

The other team has not yet commented, except to confirm the game was called off.

The ruling by security authorities to exclude club followers from the Birmingham game on 6 November has triggered extensive disapproval.

The British authorities has subsequently stated it is seeking to cancel the restriction and exploring what additional resources might be needed to make certain the game can be held without incident.

The English club notified their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the match, saying they recognized that some "may have concerns".

On the previous day, local authorities stated it backed the ban and designated the match as "potentially dangerous" according to intelligence and earlier occurrences.

That encompassed "violent clashes and hate-crime offences" among Ajax and followers prior to a fixture in the Dutch capital in the previous year, when more than 60 people were arrested.

There have been protests at several athletic competitions over the war in Gaza, including when the national team competed against the Scandinavian team and the European team in recent international matches.

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