Aston Villa informed their matchday stewards that they were not required to work at the club's Europa League fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv next month, acknowledging potential concerns some might have. Prior to the decision to prohibit fans of the Israeli club from attending the game at Villa Park, a move that has drawn considerable criticism, staff were given the option to opt out of their duties.

On Thursday, Aston Villa stated that the city's Safety Advisory Group (SAG) had determined that Maccabi Tel Aviv's supporters should be barred from attending due to safety concerns. The UK government has since announced its efforts to reverse the ban, exploring the possibility of providing additional resources, with a SAG meeting scheduled for the following week to discuss the match.

However, it has come to light that some Aston Villa stewards may have chosen not to work at the match. Villa has not yet commented on this matter. In an email dated 3 October from the club's matchday safety team, which BBC Sport has reviewed, stewards were informed that "regarding the upcoming fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv… we appreciate that some of you may have concerns about attending work".

Stewards were further informed that they "will be able to submit a one-off absence request", allowing them to register their absence for this specific fixture. The club also clarified that "this type of absence will not affect your contractual minimum attendance of 80%".

It remains unclear how many stewards have chosen to take advantage of this offer to miss the match, or whether this played a role in the subsequent decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv's fans. The BBC has learned that the email was sent after a number of Aston Villa's stewards raised safety concerns with the club, and that the offer will remain in place if the ban on away supporters is lifted. Requests to miss the match must be submitted at least four working days in advance of the fixture.

On Thursday, West Midlands Police voiced its support for the ban, noting that it had classified the fixture as "high risk" based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including "violent clashes and hate-crime offences" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024. More than 60 individuals were arrested in connection with the violence, which city officials described as a "toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger" over the war in Gaza, Israel, and other parts of the Middle East.

Following the announcement of the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the decision as "wrong", adding that "we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets". Other party leaders have also expressed criticism.

Aston Villa stated that they had been informed of the decision following "an instruction from the SAG". They added that West Midlands Police had advised the SAG that it had "public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night". The club emphasized that they were in "continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision".

Birmingham City Council has stated that the SAG, which advises the council on issuing safety certificates, will review the decision if West Midlands Police alters its risk assessment for the match. The Home Office was briefed about the potential restrictions on visiting fans last week, but the BBC has been informed that officials were not notified of the final decision until Thursday.