West Midlands Police have confirmed a significant operation for Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, with more than 700 officers on duty in and around Villa Park. They have imposed a Section 60 order allowing stop and search without suspicion, from noon Thursday until 3 a.m. Friday in mapped areas near the ground. Expect mounted units, dogs, protest liaison teams, and road disruptions.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority created a temporary restricted area for drones—a one-nautical-mile radius around the stadium from 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on matchday. Flying any non-police drone during that window is an offense.
Inside the ground, the club’s matchday guide reiterates UEFA rules banning political symbols, messages, and flags. Breaches can result in ejection and stadium bans. The away end remains closed after the local high-risk designation. Maccabi Tel Aviv declined any ticket allocation on safety grounds, so no official away supporters will be present.
What has changed since our first report
Two developments frame Thursday’s match. Police published the Section 60 window and confirmed the deployment scale, citing plans for multiple demonstrations and urging non-attendees to avoid the area. Schools near Villa Park announced early closures ahead of expected protests. Local reports note police did not request those closures.
Some call the away-end ban collective punishment. Others see overdue caution after a year of politicized crowds and rising hate-crime reports. Maccabi declined to take any tickets, even if circumstances changed.
Police advise matchgoers to arrive early and expect additional security checks at entry.
