The fixture had been classified high risk, with the West Midlands force (WMP) pointing to alleged violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
But the Sunday Times reported this week that Dutch police had disputed the accuracy of the claims of violence, on the day of the match in November 2024.
Referring further to the safety advisory group’s (SAG) decision, a WMP spokesperson said: “We assessed the fixture between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam as having involved significant public disorder.”
The force said it had met Dutch police on 1 October, where information relating to the 2024 fixture was shared.
“Informed by information and intelligence, we concluded that Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters – specifically the sub-group known as the Maccabi Fanatics – posed a credible threat to public safety,” the spokesperson explained.
“The submission made to the SAG was based on information and intelligence which helped shape understanding of the risks.
“West Midlands Police commissioned a peer review, which was conducted by the UKFPU (United Kingdom Football Policing Unit), the NPCC (National Police Chiefs’ Council) and subject matter experts.”