đź”— Share this article Tel Aviv Local Rivalry Cancelled Due to Violent Riots The sports venue in Tel Aviv was covered in smoke prior to the planned start Released October 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM BST Updated 9 minutes ago The Israeli Premier League local clash involving Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned before commencement on the weekend, after what authorities labeled as "civil unrest and major clashes". "Numerous of smoke devices and pyrotechnic devices were thrown," law enforcement announced on digital channels, emphasizing "this is not a football game, it constitutes unrest and serious violence". A dozen individuals and multiple law enforcement members were injured, authorities reported, while several individuals were detained and sixteen held for interrogation. The disturbances happen just a short time after representatives in the UK said that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans should not be allowed to be present at the European competition game at the Birmingham team in the UK in November because of security issues. Hapoel Tel Aviv censured the derby cancellation, alleging authorities of "gearing up for a war, not a football match", even during talks in the preparation to the highly-anticipated encounter. "The shocking events near the venue and after the ill-considered and outrageous ruling to cancel the match only demonstrate that the Israel Police has taken control of the sport," the club said in a statement. The other team has declined to speak, only acknowledging the game was called off. The decision by the local safety committee to prohibit the team's supporters from the Birmingham game on November 6 has sparked broad condemnation. The British authorities has since said it is seeking to cancel the restriction and considering what extra measures might be required to make certain the fixture can be hosted safely. The English club informed their matchday stewards that they could choose not to participate at the fixture, stating they acknowledged that some "may have concerns". On earlier in the week, West Midlands Police said it backed the restriction and classified the fixture as "high risk" due to intelligence and earlier occurrences. That included "violent clashes and discrimination incidents" between the Dutch team and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a game in Amsterdam in the previous year, when more than 60 people were arrested. There have been demonstrations at multiple sporting events concerning the conflict in Gaza, for instance when Israel played the Scandinavian team and the European team in latest football World Cup qualifiers. Related topics The sport Further coverage Follow your club with game reports Published 2 days ago Hear the most recent football podcast Receive sports updates sent straight to your mobile device Released August 16