🔗 Share this article Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Called Off Following Violent Riots Bloomfield Stadium in the city was engulfed by haze before the planned beginning Published 19 October 2025, 22:27 BST Updated 9 minutes ago The domestic football league local clash between Maccabi Tel Aviv and their city rivals was abandoned before commencement on Sunday, due to what police characterized as "crowd trouble and major clashes". "Numerous of smoke bombs and fireworks were set off," Israeli police posted on social media, emphasizing "this isn't a match, it represents unrest and major hostilities". Twelve individuals and multiple law enforcement members were harmed, authorities reported, while nine people were detained and 16 detained for questioning. The disturbances happen just a brief period after officials in the UK announced that followers of the club ought to be banned to go to the international tournament fixture at the English club in Britain next month because of public safety worries. One team condemned the derby cancellation, claiming authorities of "preparing for a war, instead of a sporting event", even during discussions in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited encounter. "The disturbing events outside the arena and following the irresponsible and scandalous ruling to abandon the game only prove that the authorities has seized authority in the game," the club announced publicly. The other team has remained silent, merely stating 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 broad condemnation. The British authorities has subsequently stated it is seeking to cancel the prohibition and investigating what additional resources might be required to make certain the fixture can be hosted safely. The English club notified their matchday stewards that they were not required to attend at the fixture, stating they recognized that some "could be worried". On the previous day, local authorities said it endorsed the prohibition and classified the match as "concerning" based on reports and previous incidents. That involved "serious fights and discrimination incidents" between the Dutch team and their supporters prior to a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when more than 60 people were detained. There have been protests at several sporting events concerning the conflict in Gaza, such as when the national team competed against Norway and Italy in latest qualification games. Related topics The sport More on this story Support your side with match updates Released 2 days ago Listen to the latest football podcast Obtain match information sent straight to your smartphone Issued August 16