Supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv wave Israeli flags in the stands of the MHPArena in Stuttgart during a Europa League match on Dec. 11, 2025.(Credit: Heiko Becker/Reuters)
BEIRUT — UEFA, the governing body of European football, has imposed a 20,000 euro fine (about 23,000 dollars) on the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv for the “racist and/or discriminatory behavior of its supporters” during a Europa League match last week in Stuttgart, Germany.
The club has also been handed a suspended ban on its fans traveling to one away match during European competitions. This suspension may be enacted in case of a repeat offense within a two-year period.
'F*** the Arabs' and calls for rape
Stuttgart police confirmed Thursday that they had opened an investigation after a group of Israeli club supporters chanted “discriminatory” slogans during a rally near the Neckarstadion, where the match between VfB Stuttgart and Maccabi Tel Aviv (4-1) was held on Dec. 11 as part of the Europa League's sixth round (C3).
Six supporters were briefly detained and banned from the stadium, accused of repeatedly setting off pyrotechnics.
Similar to what happened last year in Amsterdam, several videos shared on social media show fans openly chanting for the “death of Arabs” in the streets and inside Stuttgart stadium: “May the [Israeli] army f*** the Arabs,” “F*** Palestine,” and “There are no schools in Gaza because all the children are dead.”
A chant including calls for rape, with lyrics available on the website compiling the hymns of the club’s ultra group, the “Maccabi fanatics,” can also be clearly heard in another clip.
Fans of the Tel Aviv club are known for this type of behavior. Their visit in November 2024 to Amsterdam for a match against Ajax in the same competition resulted in clashes that caused a global outcry.
While about a dozen Israeli fans were injured in clashes with pro-Palestinian activists after the match, the same racist slogans were chanted beforehand in the streets of the Dutch capital, and an Arab taxi driver was assaulted the night before.
Travel ban to Birmingham
Since then, the travels of the Tel Aviv club have been under heavy surveillance by the authorities of European countries hosting the team.
In early November, English police banned Maccabi supporters from entering Birmingham due to the “high level of hooliganism” among them, which “compromised safety around the match” against Aston Villa. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vehemently opposed this decision by the security forces.
Furthermore, the withdrawal of Israeli clubs from European competitions was temporarily considered by the governing bodies before the current season started.
In September, amid the intensification of the Israeli army’s offensive on Gaza City, UEFA was called upon by various actors, including some of its members, to suspend Maccabi Tel Aviv and other Israeli teams from its tournaments.
This initiative was nonetheless sidetracked by the announcement of a Gaza cease-fire plan by U.S. President Donald Trump in early October, as calls to boycott Israel in sports and culture increased. Several countries have already announced their withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation.
Despite the truce agreement that went into effect on Oct. 10, at least 394 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks since the cease-fire began.
In addition, the ongoing blockade on humanitarian aid is preventing essential winter supplies from entering, as the devastated enclave has been hit by bad weather that caused several deaths, including children who died from the cold.
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