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A Belgian mayor has refused to let his city host Israeli club Hapoel Beer-Sheva for a Europa League match, forcing Union Saint-Gilloise to find an alternative venue for the fixture.
Union, which competed in the UEFA Champions League last season, is due to host the Israeli champion on October 22 after the 36-team Europa League draw was made last Friday.
The Belgian league runner-up wanted to play all four home games in Leuven, a city roughly 25 kilometers east of Brussels, because its stadium in the Belgian capital does not meet UEFA standards for European competitions. Union has been playing its home matches this season at Leuven's Den Dreef Stadium.
The mayor of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, said Monday evening that the city will not grant permission for the game "for the sake of public safety", even in an empty stadium.
Speaking to Belgian broadcaster VRT, Ridouani said the decision was not directed against Israel and carried no antisemitic motive, adding that city authorities could not guarantee security for the match.
During a municipal council meeting, he said Union remained welcome in Leuven, but that his position on Israeli teams was consistent.
Ridouani said his position was consistent with not allowing Belgium's national teams to play games against Israel in Leuven, citing a Nations League fixture in which the Belgian men's team instead played Israel in Hungary and a women's national team match previously blocked in the city.
UEFA said Tuesday it had been informed about the city's position for the Europa League game.
"It's the duty of the host club to find an alternative venue," UEFA said of Union's responsibility, and the stadium change "will be known in the coming days".
Security concerns around matches involving Israeli clubs have heightened across Europe since November 2024, when violent clashes broke out in Amsterdam before and after Ajax's match against Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv, resulting in dozens of detentions and several hospitalizations.
A UEFA ruling in place since October 2023, following the Hamas attack on Israel, has meant all Israeli club and national teams have played their home games in European competitions in neutral countries.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva played home games in Hungary and Romania during Champions League qualifying this season.
It is rare for Israeli teams' away games to be moved.
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