Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has pledged that funding constraints will not prevent Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending their Europa League fixture at Aston Villa on 6 November, following a controversial decision by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit away fans.
The SAG, comprising police, council officials and safety specialists, imposed the ban citing security concerns.
Nandy emphasised that whilst risk evaluation remains outside governmental remit, ministers are collaborating to secure funding for the required police presence.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Conservative shadow culture secretary Nigel Huddlestone, who branded the prohibition "embarrassing and a disgrace".
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The match between the Israeli club and Aston Villa has become a focal point for debate over security measures and fan access.
Huddlestone further condemned the measure, noting that this represents the first complete prohibition of away supporters at a British football match since the early 2000s.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have been banned from attending the Europa League fixture against Aston Villa
|PA
The shadow culture secretary highlighted the unprecedented nature of the decision in recent decades.
Nandy acknowledged the exceptional circumstances surrounding the case, stating: "What is completely different about this case is not just that it's the first time since the early 2000s in this country that a decision has been taken to ban entirely away fans from attending a game, it's that the risk assessment is based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans that are attending to support Maccabi Tel Aviv because they are Israeli and because they are Jewish.
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"Now, we should be appalled by that and never allow it to stand."
West Midlands Police have designated the fixture as "high risk" following intelligence assessments and historical precedents.
The force cited disturbances involving Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam during November 2024, where violent confrontations and hate crime incidents occurred with Ajax fans.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said resources will be found no matter what
|UK PARLIAMENT
The SAG, which provides guidance to Birmingham City Council regarding safety certification issuance, remains open to reassessment.
Council officials confirmed the advisory body would reconvene should West Midlands Police modify their current threat evaluation.
"We are clear that resources will not be the determining factor in whether Maccabi Tel Aviv fans can be admitted," Nandy added.
"We will find the resources that need to be made available."
Thursday's police statement detailed their classification methodology, drawing upon contemporary intelligence and documented incidents from the Amsterdam match.
The security concerns stem from patterns of disorder observed during the Israeli club's previous European fixtures, particularly the documented clashes in the Netherlands.
The government has initiated discussions with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to explore available alternatives and determine resource requirements for safe attendance by supporters of both clubs.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have been banned from attending the Europa League match against Aston Villa
|REUTERS
Nandy confirmed that ministers are actively engaged in supporting local authorities to evaluate all possibilities.
"If the assessment is revised, the safety advisory group will meet again to discuss options," Nandy stated, indicating potential flexibility in the current stance.
The Culture Secretary stressed that appropriate resources would be allocated once authorities specify their operational needs.
The government's intervention follows widespread concern that supporters face exclusion primarily due to their Israeli and Jewish identity.