Alkmaar Stands Firm on Banning Israeli Football Supporters as Diplomatic Pressure Mounts

The city of Alkmaar has confirmed it will proceed with its ban on supporters of Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva from attending the Europa League match against AZ on October 15, despite escalating diplomatic pressure from Israel. Mayor Anja Schouten said the decision, based on public order risks, will not be reversed.

The ban was reaffirmed during an emergency city council debate on October 6, after several political parties requested a discussion. A small group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside city hall ahead of the debate. The decision, initially taken in September, had reversed an earlier indication that away fans would be welcome. According to Mayor Schouten, consultations with Amsterdam's mayor, police, and public prosecutor led to the reversal source: NL Times.

The mayor explicitly cited the November 2024 violence surrounding the Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Ajax match in Amsterdam, where Israeli supporters were targeted and some responded in kind. Schouten said there are again signs of certain sentiment on social media. She argued that maintaining public order “is not limited to the stadium or match day,” noting that Israeli supporters would be in the country from Tuesday and, due to a holiday, would remain until after Friday. That extended presence raises the question of “who might encounter whom, and where, and what risks could arise” source: NL Times.

The ban applies to Hapoel ticket holders and displays of support for the opposing club in the stadium, not to Israeli nationals generally. AZ confirmed to Dutch News that no tickets had been sold before the decision was taken source: DutchNews.nl.

Israeli diplomatic pressure has intensified in the days leading up to the match. Ambassador Zvi Aviner Vapni called Mayor Schouten, placing “large question marks” over the justification for the ban, according to the Israeli embassy. The ambassador suggested that if safety could not be guaranteed for a full contingent, the supporters should be allowed in limited numbers. If that is not possible, Israel wants the match moved to a neutral venue, possibly abroad. The mayor's office responded that the decision stands and the match will be played without away fans source: NOS.

Higher-level diplomacy also took place: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar raised the issue with Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the matter came up but declined to comment further source: NOS.

The Lawfare Project, a US-based pro-Israel legal group, told Dutch News it is examining possible legal action, arguing the ban is discriminatory. Lawfare noted that UEFA rates Hapoel's supporters as only medium risk, and that if security cannot be guaranteed for them, then no one should be allowed to attend source: DutchNews.nl.

Banning away fans from high-risk matches is not unprecedented in Dutch football. In December 2024, Amsterdam barred Lazio fans from a Europa League match against Ajax over anti-Semitic and racist incident risks. Enschede's mayor reversed a similar ban on Besiktas supporters after the Turkish club provided security assurances source: DutchNews.nl.

For now, the match at AFAS Stadium will proceed without visiting supporters. The key question remains whether the Lawfare Project or other groups will pursue legal action, and whether the diplomatic fallout will have longer-term implications for Dutch-Israeli relations or future fixtures involving Israeli clubs.