Tel Aviv Derby Called Off After Violent Riots

• Published
  19 October 2025, 22:27 BST

The Israeli Premier League derby featuring one local team and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled prior to commencement on the weekend, due to what police characterized as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances".

"Numerous of smoke bombs and fireworks were set off," authorities announced on digital channels, adding "this isn't a football game, it constitutes disorder and major hostilities".

A dozen civilians and multiple police personnel were hurt, officials confirmed, while multiple persons were arrested and numerous others held for interrogation.

The disturbances come just a short time after representatives in the Britain stated that followers of the club should not be allowed to attend the Europa League match at Aston Villa in Britain the following month because of security issues.

One team criticised the game abandonment, alleging authorities of "gearing up for a conflict, rather than a game", particularly during meetings in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited match.

"The disturbing events outside the stadium and following the ill-considered and outrageous judgment to cancel the fixture only demonstrate that the authorities has seized authority in the football," the club stated officially.

Their rivals has not yet commented, merely stating the game was called off.

The judgment by the local safety committee to prohibit the team's supporters from the English fixture on the sixth of November has provoked widespread criticism.

The government officials has later announced it is attempting to reverse the prohibition and considering what additional resources might be needed to ensure the game can be held without incident.

Villa notified their security personnel that they could choose not to participate at the game, stating they understood that some "could be worried".

On Thursday, local authorities said it backed the ban and categorized the fixture as "potentially dangerous" based on information and previous incidents.

That involved "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" among Ajax and their supporters prior to a fixture in the Dutch capital in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody.

There have been protests at several sporting events regarding the situation in Gaza, including when Israel played Norway and Italy in recent football World Cup qualifiers.

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