🔗 Share this article Tel-Aviv Derby Postponed Following Violent Riots Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was engulfed by haze prior to the scheduled start Issued October 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM BST Updated 9 minutes ago The Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned ahead of commencement on Sunday, following what police described as "crowd trouble and serious disturbances". "Dozens of smoke devices and pyrotechnic devices were set off," law enforcement stated on social media, adding "this isn't a sporting event, it represents unrest and major hostilities". Twelve civilians and several police personnel were hurt, officials confirmed, while several individuals were taken into custody and numerous others questioned by police. The disturbances happen just days after officials in the Britain said that followers of the club cannot be permitted to attend the international tournament match at the Birmingham team in the UK next month because of public safety worries. The local club criticised the match postponement, accusing authorities of "gearing up for a war, instead of a game", particularly during discussions in the lead-up to the eagerly-awaited encounter. "The disturbing events near the arena and after the reckless and outrageous judgment to abandon the fixture only prove that the Israel Police has seized authority in the sport," the team said in a statement. Their rivals has declined to speak, only acknowledging the game was called off. The ruling by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group to prohibit club followers from the English fixture on 6 November has provoked broad condemnation. The UK government has since said it is seeking to cancel the ban and exploring what extra measures might be needed to ensure the match can be hosted safely. Villa told their stadium staff that they could choose not to participate at the match, explaining they acknowledged that some "may have concerns". On earlier in the week, local authorities confirmed it backed the prohibition and designated the game as "high risk" according to intelligence and earlier occurrences. That included "serious fights and bigotry-related acts" among Ajax and followers before a fixture in Amsterdam in November 2024, when numerous persons were detained. There have been protests at various games concerning the conflict in Gaza, including when the national team played the Scandinavian team and the European team in current international matches. Connected themes Football Additional reports Track your team with match updates Posted 48 hours prior Listen to the latest sports show Obtain match information sent straight to your phone Published August 16