West Midlands Police respond to Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban report with apology and investigation
Efforts underway to rebuild trust and examine decision-making processes
Last updated 22nd Feb 2026
West Midlands Police have issued an apology and have an investigation underway following the release of the Home Affairs Committee report on the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban.
A committee of MPs concluded that local political pressure may have played a part in the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from attending a match against Aston Villa,
Birmingham councillors had a "disproportionate opportunity to exert influence", undermining trust that decision-making was based on evidence and safety, the Home Affairs Committee said.
Acting Chief Constable Scott Green, on his first day in office on 19th January, expressed regret for the damage to public trust and initiated a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to examine any conduct issues by senior officers.
The force say:
"We remain fully committed to learning from these events and have already made early efforts through a series of meetings with key local representatives to repair any damage caused by the loss of confidence that the public has in us."
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were barred from travelling to the game against Aston Villa at Villa Park on November 6 by the local safety advisory group, which cited safety concerns based on advice from West Midlands Police.
A review into the decision found an "AI hallucination" produced by Microsoft Copilot had helped police justify the move.
The error meant a non-existent game between Tel Aviv and West Ham had been referenced.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford stepped down from the top role following mounting pressure for him to quit over the controversy.
The Report
Publishing a report on the row, the Home Affairs Committee said it could not rule out that political pressure had played a part in the decision.
The report said WMP's concerns about disorder "combined with local political pressure and community tensions related to the international situation" led to the move.
The report continued: "While we cannot conclude that the Safety Advisory Group's decision was made because of political pressure, on the basis of the evidence we have seen we also cannot conclude with any confidence that the decision was not politically influenced.
"It is clear that on this occasion councillors, with a stated political aim, had a disproportionate opportunity to influence Safety Advisory Group decision-making on a deeply divisive political issue.
"While the presence of elected politicians on Safety Advisory Groups has potential benefits in terms of local representation, it also risks decision making becoming politically motivated, undermining trust in the process."
Read more about the full report here: MPs say political pressure may have influenced to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
West Midlands Police Response
West Midlands Police have begun Operation Strive, an initiative led by Acting Chief Constable Green, aimed at restoring public confidence in the force.
Early efforts to make amends include engaging with local representatives to address issues of trust and community confidence.
The police also pledged full cooperation with the IOPC investigation and the ongoing review by the HMICFRS into Safety Advisory Groups.
Acting Chief Constable Green indicated that West Midlands Police is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Home Affairs Committee report.
Green also expressed willingness to update the Committee on progress, emphasizing transparency and accountability in their response.