Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has offered additional resource to West Midlands Police for the UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Answered by Sarah Jones
West Midlands Police did not notify the department of it’s risk assessment findings. Planning for football matches is considered and decided locally by Safety Advisory Groups which are operationally independent of Government and assess the risks and safety for the public. Home Office Officials were notified on 2 October 2025 by the UK Football Policing Unit of the options under consideration to allow the upcoming UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv to proceed safely.
The department was not informed of the final decision until it was in the public domain.
The Government has been working with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to support them in considering all the options available for the match, including what resources are needed to manage the risks. Although the ultimate decision regarding the admittance of away fans is for the Local Authority to make, Government was clear that resources should not be the determining factor in whether Maccabi Tel Aviv fans would be admitted.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →