A decision to prohibit Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a football game against Aston Villa has been called into question.

The ban by Birmingham Safety Advisory Group (SAG) has been backed by West Midlands Police (WMP), who described the Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv as ‘high risk’ following a ‘thorough assessment’.

In a statement yesterday, WMP said the move was ‘based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Amsterdam’.

However, the prime minister has criticised the ban, which he declared ‘the wrong decision’ in a social media post yesterday.

The statement on X read: ‘We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.’

Downing Street is said to be in talks ‘at pace’ to rectify the situation, with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster also calling for an ‘immediate review of the decision’.

Mr Foster yesterday appealed to the prime minister, suggesting that himself, the SAG, the WMP and Sir Keir Starmer work together to find a solution, while emphasising that the ‘safety and security of all the people and communities of the West Midlands’ is his ‘top priority’.

Jack Angelides, chief executive at Maccabi Tel Aviv, reportedly said the ban has been ‘met with some dismay about what this is potentially signalling’, according to the BBC, while Aston Villa has revealed the club is in ‘continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision’.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: ‘The Safety Advisory Group has made a decision based on a risk assessment provided by West Midlands Police.

‘If there is a change in the assessment of risk in the forthcoming match between Aston Villa Football Club and Maccabi Tel Aviv, then the Safety Advisory Group will commit to review its decision as appropriate.’