🔗 Share this article Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Serious Unrest The sports venue in Tel Aviv was covered in haze ahead of the planned start Published 19 October 2025, 22:27 BST Revised nine minutes prior The domestic football league local clash featuring one local team and their city rivals was called off before kick-off on Sunday, after what authorities characterized as "crowd trouble and violent riots". "Dozens of smoke grenades and flares were set off," authorities announced on digital channels, emphasizing "this cannot be considered a football game, it represents disorder and serious violence". Twelve individuals and three officers were injured, officials confirmed, while nine people were arrested and 16 questioned by police. The disturbances happen just a brief period after authorities in the United Kingdom said that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans cannot be permitted to be present at the European competition fixture at the English club in England in November because of security issues. The local club censured the derby cancellation, claiming law enforcement of "gearing up for a war, instead of a football match", including during talks in the build-up to the much-expected encounter. "The alarming events outside the arena and after the ill-considered and outrageous ruling to cancel the match only prove that the law enforcement has assumed command over the football," Hapoel Tel Aviv stated officially. The other team has remained silent, only acknowledging the fixture was abandoned. The judgment by the local safety committee to exclude club followers from the Aston Villa match on 6 November has triggered widespread criticism. The British authorities has since said it is attempting to reverse the restriction and investigating what extra measures might be needed to ensure the match can be conducted securely. The English club notified their security personnel that they could choose not to participate at the game, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns". On earlier in the week, local authorities stated it supported the prohibition and categorized the fixture as "potentially dangerous" due to intelligence and previous incidents. That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" involving the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when over sixty individuals were taken into custody. There have been protests at multiple sporting events regarding the war in Gaza, including when Israel faced Norway and the European team in current qualification games. Connected themes Soccer Additional reports Track your team with game reports Published 2 days ago Hear the most recent sports show Obtain match information delivered directly to your phone Released August 16