The violent collapse of the Tel Aviv derby between Hapoel and Maccabi dominated not only Israeli news but also headlines in major media outlets worldwide. From Britain’s The Guardian to Germany’s Bild and the New York Times in the United States, global coverage portrayed Israel through the lens of chaos, riots, and shocking stadium violence.
In the United Kingdom, The Sun splashed the story across its sports pages under the headline “Chaos,” describing the scenes as “violent and unprecedented.” The tabloid reported that “the match between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv was canceled before the first kick. Flares, smoke bombs, and stones were thrown. Police and fans were injured, and authorities halted the event over concerns for human life.”
The report also noted that this was the first Tel Aviv derby in two years and linked the incident to Britain’s controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their upcoming Europa League match against Aston Villa.
The Guardian devoted a full-length article to the unrest, writing: “Wild behavior, riots, injured police officers, and damaged infrastructure — this wasn’t a football match, it was a serious public disturbance.” The paper drew a direct line between the violence in Israel and the recent British decision to block Maccabi supporters from Villa Park, which had already sparked political debate in the U.K.
British Member of Parliament Ayoub Khan, who represents Birmingham and has long called for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s exclusion from European competitions, seized on the footage from Bloomfield to reinforce his stance. “Shame on every politician and journalist who turned this into a religious issue,” he said. “This has nothing to do with Judaism — it’s about hooligans. Those hooligans are not welcome in our city.”
The Daily Mail also covered the events extensively, reporting: “The Israeli derby was canceled due to danger to human life,” and describing “explosions, stone-throwing, and violence that continued outside the stadium.”
Across the Atlantic, The New York Times published images and videos from Bloomfield, calling the Tel Aviv derby “a battlefield.” The paper quoted Hapoel Tel Aviv’s response to the cancellation: “It seems the police were preparing for war, not a football game.” The Israeli police, meanwhile, were described as having made “an extraordinary decision to prevent disaster.”
In Germany, Bild highlighted the intensity of the violence, writing: “Explosion in the Israeli Premier League! Authorities canceled the match due to public safety concerns.”